Setting Aside a CCJ Without a Solicitor: Self-Representation in the County Court
The County Court Expects Self-Represented Parties
Setting aside a CCJ does not require a solicitor. The county court in England and Wales is designed to handle litigants in person — people who represent themselves without legal representation. District Judges who hear interim applications like set-aside hearings deal with self-represented parties routinely.
On the small claims track (claims up to £10,000), inter-party costs are generally restricted under CPR 27.14. But an N244 application is an interim hearing with separate court fees and potential summary costs liability, so you should not assume the other side's costs can never be recovered.
What You Need to Do Yourself
The application itself is procedural, not adversarial in the way a trial is. You are asking the court to undo a default judgment, not arguing the merits of the underlying dispute (that comes later). The key tasks are:
Complete Form N244. The application notice has specific sections: the order you want, the rule you rely on (CPR 13.2 or 13.3), whether you want a hearing, and who you are serving it on. The form is available free from GOV.UK.
Write a witness statement. This is a first-person account of what happened, set out chronologically. When was the claim issued? Why did you not respond? When did you discover the judgment? What did you do next? It must end with a statement of truth signed by you personally.
Prepare a draft defence. For a discretionary application under CPR 13.3, the judge needs to see that you have a real case. A draft Form N9B showing your substantive response to the claim demonstrates this.
Assemble a hearing bundle. An indexed, paginated set of documents — your application, witness statement, exhibits, the claim form, and the judgment order.
What a McKenzie Friend Can Do
A McKenzie Friend is someone who sits with you at the hearing to help with practical tasks: taking notes, organising your documents, and offering quiet advice. They do not have automatic rights of audience — they cannot address the judge on your behalf unless the judge gives explicit permission, which is discretionary.
A McKenzie Friend cannot sign documents for you, file court papers in their own name, or act as your representative in correspondence with the court or the claimant. They are a practical support, not a legal representative.
You do not need to apply to the court in advance to bring a McKenzie Friend, but it is good practice to mention their name on Form N244 or to tell the court office ahead of the hearing.
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Free Help Available
Several organisations provide free support for litigants in person:
Citizens Advice offers general procedural guidance and can help you understand your options. AdviceNow (Law for Life) publishes detailed self-help guides on court applications, including N244 mechanics. Support Through Court provides volunteers who can accompany you to the hearing, help you organise your papers, and explain the court layout — though they do not give legal advice.
LawWorks runs pro bono legal advice clinics staffed by volunteer solicitors, and Advocate (the Bar Pro Bono Unit) can provide volunteer barristers for advice and representation — both subject to eligibility and availability.
For consumer credit debt disputes (credit cards, loans, debt buyers), StepChange and National Debtline offer specialist casework. But for ordinary money disputes — contractor work, landlord-tenant disagreements, private sales — those organisations are less relevant, and the procedural self-help route is often the practical one.
The Cost Comparison
Parachute Law lists an initial paper review at £195 inc VAT. If the claimant does not consent, it lists £480 + VAT to prepare an unconsented N244 application and £660–£880 + VAT for advocate hearing attendance, excluding court fees. Add the £321 court fee and the total exceeds £1,000 before VAT. Treadstone Law lists representation starting at £299 + VAT.
Self-representation avoids solicitor fees, but not court fees or potential summary costs at an interim N244 hearing: the current HMCTS EX50A lists £321 for an on-notice application or £126 by consent or without notice, with no separate fee exemption for CPR 13.2 grounds. Eligible applicants can apply for Help with Fees using Form EX160.
The Setting Aside a CCJ Guide is built for litigants in person: it walks through each section of Form N244, provides a witness statement structure with examples, and includes checklists for the hearing bundle so nothing is missing.
Get Your Free England & Wales CCJ Set-Aside Response Checklist
Download the England & Wales CCJ Set-Aside Response Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.