Referencing
Renting with a CCJ or IVA
Yes, you can rent with a CCJ, an IVA, a debt relief order or a past bankruptcy. But tenant referencing will usually find it, so tell the agent before you pay anything, and offer a guarantor. Rent upfront is no longer a way round it: since 1 May 2026 the most a landlord can take is one month’s rent, after you sign.
England only · Checked 23 October 2026 · Independent
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Check a property freeHow long each one shows
| Record | Public register | Credit file |
|---|---|---|
| County court judgment (CCJ) | Register of Judgments for 6 years. Paid in full within one month: can be removed. Paid later: marked “satisfied”. | 6 years, unless paid in full within one month |
| Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) | Individual Insolvency Register while it runs, then removed 3 months after it ends | 6 years from the date it starts |
| Debt relief order (DRO) | Individual Insolvency Register for the 12 months it runs, then removed 3 months after it ends | 6 years |
| Bankruptcy | Individual Insolvency Register, updated within 3 months of discharge (usually after 12 months) | 6 years from the date of your bankruptcy |
From GOV.UK and the Insolvency Service. An IVA usually lasts 5 or 6 years, and a DRO 12 months.
How referencing treats them
There is no single rule. Referencing is a commercial decision, and each landlord, agent or referencing company sets its own bar. What tends to matter is whether the record is recent, whether it is paid or finished, and whether you can clearly afford the rent now.
- A CCJ marked satisfied, with the certificate in hand, is easier to explain than one still unpaid.
- A finished IVA or DRO, or a bankruptcy you have been discharged from, is easier than one still running.
- Bank statements showing rent paid on time since are persuasive.
Tell the agent before you pay a holding deposit. Giving false or misleading information is one of the few reasons a landlord can keep it, so hiding a record a check will find puts a week’s rent at risk. How long tenant referencing takes and when a holding deposit must be refunded.
Ways to get a yes
- A guarantor. Someone who agrees to pay if you don’t. They should know exactly what they are signing up to. Check the home before they guarantee it.
- A rent guarantor company. You pay a fee and it guarantees the rent. A landlord can offer one, but can’t make you use it. Read what happens if it has to pay out, including whether it can then come to you for the money.
- One month’s rent in advance, no more. That is the legal limit since 1 May 2026, and only after you sign. Rent in advance explains it.
- A rent you clearly afford. A lower rent is easier to pass on. Work out what you can afford.
Getting a CCJ in order first
- Paid within a month? Write to the court with proof of payment from the person or business you owed, and apply for a certificate of cancellation on form N443 with a £19 fee. The judgment is removed from the register.
- Paid later? Ask the court to mark it satisfied, and get a certificate of satisfaction: in writing or on form N443, with a £19 fee. It stays on the register for 6 years, but anyone searching can see you paid.
- Didn’t owe it, or never saw the claim? You can ask the court to set it aside.
Can I rent with a CCJ or an IVA?
Yes. Neither one stops you renting by law. But the credit check in tenant referencing will usually find it, and each landlord decides for themselves what they will accept. Telling the agent first, and offering a guarantor, gives you the best chance.
What will a letting agent see?
Usually whatever is on your credit file and the public registers. The Insolvency Service says the Individual Insolvency Register can be searched by anyone, including landlords. CCJs are on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. Check what is there yourself before you apply, so nothing in the reference surprises you.
You can search the Register of Judgments through TrustOnline, run by Registry Trust, and the Individual Insolvency Register free on GOV.UK. Renting with bad credit covers checking your credit report.
Do I need my IVA supervisor’s permission to rent?
The standard terms don’t say you need it just to rent. But if your IVA uses the standard IVA Protocol terms, you must keep your supervisor told of your current address and give them details of your income and spending. You also must not take credit over £500 without their written approval. A new rent changes your spending, so speak to them before you sign.
If your IVA is not on the standard terms, your own proposal sets the rules. Your insolvency practitioner can tell you what applies.
Can I rent while I have a debt relief order?
Yes. GOV.UK says you must keep paying your rent and bills during a DRO. You must not borrow more than £500 without telling the lender about the DRO. A DRO can be cancelled if your financial circumstances change, so tell your debt adviser before you take on a different rent.
Can I rent after bankruptcy?
Yes. Bankruptcy usually ends after 12 months, when you are discharged. GOV.UK says it can stay on your credit reference file for 6 years from the date of your bankruptcy, so many agents will still see it after discharge. Proof of your discharge, and a record of paying rent on time since, help.
I didn’t know about the CCJ. Can I get it removed?
Possibly. GOV.UK says you can ask the court to cancel, or “set aside”, a judgment if you don’t owe the money, or you did not receive or did not respond to the original claim. You apply on form N244 to the court, a fee may apply, and you must go to a hearing to explain.
GOV.UK gave the fee as £321 when we checked. If you miss the hearing, the application is rejected and you have to pay the amount in the judgment. Get free debt advice before you apply.
Can I pay six months upfront instead of passing referencing?
Not any more. Since 1 May 2026 a landlord cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement is signed, and can ask for at most one month’s rent between signing and the start. That holds even if you offer more. Once the tenancy has started you can choose to pay early, but a landlord can’t require it.
Rent in advance has the full rules and the narrow exceptions.
Can I offer a bigger deposit instead?
No, not above the cap. A tenancy deposit is limited to five weeks’ rent where the annual rent is under £50,000, and six weeks’ where it is £50,000 or more. A CCJ or IVA does not change that.
Free debt advice
If a debt is the reason you keep failing referencing, sort the debt with free advice before you pay anyone to help you rent.
- MoneyHelper’s debt advice locator — the government-backed service; finds free, confidential debt advice online, by phone or face to face.
- StepChange — a debt charity; its advice is free.
- Citizens Advice — help with debt, and with housing.
A debt relief order is applied for through an approved debt adviser, and GOV.UK says you don’t need to pay for one.
Where this comes from
GOV.UK on county court judgments, CCJs and your credit rating, cancelling a judgment, IVAs, debt relief orders, when bankruptcy ends, bankruptcy restrictions, the Individual Insolvency Register and rent in advance and deposits; the Insolvency Service’s IVA Protocol key facts, IVA Protocol 2025 standard terms and guide to IVAs; and Registry Trust’s TrustOnline. What counts as passing a reference is market practice, not law.
General information, not financial or legal advice. RenterCheck is independent and not connected with the courts, the Insolvency Service or any debt advice service. Different rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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