Key Takeaways
- If you ignore a Money Claim Online claim and miss the deadline to respond, the claimant can request default judgment. The court does not first check whether the debt is genuinely owed.
- Filing an acknowledgment of service extends the defence deadline from 14 days to 28 days from service. This gives you time to prepare a full defence.
- Default judgment can include the amount claimed, interest, fixed costs and the court fee. The claimant can then enforce without a hearing.
- Enforcement can include bailiffs, attachment of earnings, third-party debt orders against bank accounts, charging orders over property and insolvency proceedings.
- A County Court Judgment normally stays on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for six years. Paying in full within one month allows you to ask for it to be removed.
- Once judgment is entered, you must apply to set it aside under CPR Part 13. An application to set aside does not automatically stop enforcement.
- Go Legal is rated Excellent with over 300 five-star reviews and 5/5 on Trustpilot and Google, placing our solicitors among the best-reviewed litigation lawyers in England and Wales.
What Happens If You Ignore a Money Claim Online and Do Not File a Defence in Time?
If you ignore a Money Claim Online claim and do not file a defence within 14 days of service, the claimant can apply for default judgment under the Civil Procedure Rules. The court will enter judgment without examining whether the debt is genuinely owed. The claimant can then enforce through County Court bailiffs, attachment of earnings, third-party debt orders, charging orders or insolvency proceedings, and the judgment can stay on your credit file for six years.
Money Claim Online (MCOL) is the online County Court service for money claims in England and Wales. According to the GOV.UK MCOL user guide, you normally have 14 calendar days from the date of service to respond. Filing an acknowledgment of service extends the time for your defence to 28 days from service.
If you miss the deadline, four things can follow:
- Judgment is entered for the full amount claimed, plus interest and fixed costs.
- The claimant can begin enforcement.
- A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is registered.
- Your credit file is affected for up to six years.
Default judgment is procedural. It records that no defence was filed. It is not a decision that the invoice, contract or loan was valid.
What Counts as Service of a Money Claim Online Claim in England and Wales?
The response clock runs from the date the claim is legally treated as served, not the day you open the letter or email.
CPR Part 6 governs service of documents. Service is deemed to occur on the second business day after the claim form is posted or transmitted electronically. A claim issued on a Monday and deemed served on the Wednesday would need a response by the Wednesday two weeks later. The deadline may be running, or may have expired, before you realise a claim exists.
Under CPR 15.4, the general period for filing a defence is 14 days after service of the particulars of claim, or 28 days if you file an acknowledgment of service under Part 10. While that window is open, you can:
- admit all or part of the claim;
- file a defence disputing liability or the amount;
- file an acknowledgment of service to buy time to investigate; or
- make a payment proposal if you accept the debt but cannot pay at once.
Where the claim was sent to an old home address, a former office or the wrong company address, that may matter if you later challenge a judgment. The court will examine the address used and whether the claimant complied with the service rules. Non-receipt on its own does not end the claim. The court proceeds on the basis that service was valid unless you apply to challenge it.
What Is Money Claim Online Default Judgment and What Can It Include?
Money Claim Online default judgment is a judgment the claimant requests after the defendant fails to file an admission or defence within the permitted time.
The process sits under CPR Part 12. The claimant applies on form N225 for a specified sum, or online through MCOL by selecting judgment by default. The court does not hold a hearing or examine evidence. It is an administrative step triggered by your failure to respond.
Judgment can be entered for:
- the amount claimed;
- interest to the date of judgment;
- fixed costs under CPR Part 45; and
- the court fee.
The judgment may order payment immediately, by a specified date or by instalments. Once judgment is entered, the claimant can proceed to enforcement without further court permission, subject to those terms.
| Procedural status | What the claimant can do | What you should check immediately | Credit-record position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Response period still open | Await your response | Your response date and chosen route | No judgment recorded |
| Response period missed | Request default judgment | Whether judgment has been requested or entered | Risk of judgment being recorded |
| Default judgment entered | Begin enforcement | Set-aside prospects, payment and enforcement risk | Judgment may be registered |
| Enforcement started | Pursue the chosen method | Urgent protection, including a stay | Judgment remains until resolved |
Judgment is not always instant once the deadline passes, because the claimant has to ask for it. If your deadline has just expired, check the court record straight away. A defence filed before judgment is entered puts you in a far stronger position than an application to set aside afterwards.
What Enforcement Can Follow a Money Claim Online Default Judgment?
Once default judgment is entered, the claimant can use any of these routes to recover the debt:
- County Court bailiffs, or High Court enforcement officers where the judgment is transferred up.
- An attachment of earnings order, deducting money from your salary.
- A third-party debt order, freezing and seizing money in your bank account.
- A charging order over property, including your home.
- An order for information, requiring you to attend court and disclose your finances.
- Insolvency proceedings, including a statutory demand, bankruptcy petition or winding-up petition if the debt exceeds the statutory minimum.
Each method has its own court fee and procedural requirements, and enforcement can add significant costs to the original judgment debt. High Court enforcement through a writ of control is available for judgments over £600. It can be more effective than County Court bailiffs for the claimant, but more expensive for the debtor.
For a business, an unpaid judgment can unsettle suppliers, finance arrangements and access to credit. For an individual, it can reach wages, savings and the family home. Where an unpaid judgment raises the prospect of bankruptcy or winding up, our solicitors also advise on insolvency proceedings.
Does Applying to Set Aside a Judgment Stop Enforcement?
No. Applying to set aside a default judgment does not automatically stop enforcement while the application waits to be heard.
If bailiffs have been instructed, an attachment of earnings order is in place or a bank account has been frozen, you must also apply for a stay of enforcement. Whether you have a good defence and whether enforcement should pause are separate questions, and the court must be asked about both.
Will a County Court Judgment From Money Claim Online Affect Your Credit Record?
Yes. According to GOV.UK guidance on CCJs and your credit rating, a CCJ is entered on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines and normally stays there for six years. Credit reference agencies check the register, so a CCJ can affect mortgages, loans, business finance, mobile phone contracts, rental applications and some employment.
When and how the judgment ends changes the outcome:
- Paid in full within one month of judgment: you can ask for the judgment to be removed from the register, with proof of payment.
- Paid after one month: the entry is marked “satisfied” but stays on the register for six years.
- Set aside by the court: the judgment may be removed from the register, subject to the court’s order and the Registry Trust’s procedures.
A satisfied entry shows you paid, but lenders can still see it. A removed entry no longer appears on the register.
If a CCJ has already appeared on your file, our CCJ and court claims solicitors can advise whether payment, variation or a set-aside application is the right route.
Can You File a Late Defence or Set Aside a Money Claim Online Default Judgment?
Possibly, but not automatically. The route depends on whether judgment has already been entered.
If default judgment has not yet been entered, the court may still accept a late defence. You will likely need to apply for relief from sanctions under CPR Part 3.9 and explain the delay.
If default judgment has been entered, you must apply to set it aside under CPR Part 13. There are two grounds:
- CPR 13.2: the court must set aside the judgment if the claim was not properly served or you filed your response in time.
- CPR 13.3: the court may set aside or vary the judgment if you show a real prospect of successfully defending the claim, or another good reason why it should be set aside.
The application must be supported by evidence, usually a witness statement explaining why the deadline was missed and setting out your proposed defence. The court has discretion. It will balance your explanation, the strength of your defence and any prejudice to the claimant, including enforcement costs already incurred. The longer the delay, the weaker the application.
What to Do If You Discover a Default Judgment
- Check the court file or contact the court to confirm the claim number, judgment date, amount and status.
- Obtain the claim form, particulars of claim and the address used for service.
- Preserve contracts, invoices, emails, payment records and anything else supporting your defence.
- Contact the claimant or their solicitor immediately to ask whether they will agree to set aside or suspend the judgment. A consent order is quicker and cheaper than a contested application.
- If there is no agreement, file an application to set aside on form N244 with a witness statement, your proposed defence and the court fee.
- If enforcement has started, apply for a stay of enforcement at the same time.
- If you accept the debt but cannot pay in full, apply to vary the judgment to payment by instalments on form N245. This does not remove the CCJ from your credit file.
Do not ignore enforcement notices or bailiff letters. They will not go away, and enforcement can escalate quickly. If the underlying debt is disputed, setting aside the judgment and defending the claim is usually the only route to avoid both the CCJ and the debt.
Why Is Ignoring a Disputed County Court Money Claim Risky?
Ignoring a disputed claim is risky because the court will not know about your defence unless you file one. Judgment can be entered for the full amount claimed, including interest and costs, even if the true amount owed is lower or zero.
Claims are often disputed because:
- the amount is wrong or inflated;
- the claim is statute-barred;
- the work was defective or incomplete;
- payment has already been made;
- the wrong person or company has been sued; or
- interest or costs have been miscalculated.
Each point may support a full defence, a partial admission or a payment proposal. Think carefully before admitting anything, because an admission can be used against you.
Once enforcement begins, bailiff fees, High Court enforcement fees and solicitor costs can all be added to the judgment debt. Early legal advice before the deadline is almost always cheaper and more effective than applying to set aside judgment after the fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get Expert Help With a Money Claim Online Default Judgment
Ignoring a Money Claim Online claim hands the claimant a judgment the court never tested. That judgment can lead to enforcement against your wages, bank account or property, and a CCJ that stays on the register for six years unless you pay within one month or have it set aside.
The earlier you act, the more options you keep. Before the deadline, an acknowledgment of service or a defence protects your position. After judgment, a prompt set-aside application, and a stay where enforcement has started, gives you the best chance of putting your case.
Our solicitors can assess the claim, the service position, your defence prospects and any urgent enforcement risk. Call us on 0207 459 4037 or book a free consultation.
