Jul 29 2010
The value of debt judgments (CCJs) faced by businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland in the first half of 2010 totalled £12.6m according to figures released today (July 29 2010) by Registry Trust, the non-profit organisation that collects judgment information from Northern Ireland and other jurisdictions in the British Isles.

The release shows that both the value and numbers of CCJs have stabilised around the level seen in the first half of 2009. However, these are much higher than those seen in previous years.

The number of searches performed on the Register by consumers and businesses checking past judgment records far exceeded the previous record, with 3,692 searches performed, almost double the number recorded in the same period last year.

The majority of these are conducted through Registry Trust’s increasingly popular website, www.trustonline.org.uk.

Announcing the statistics, chairman of Registry Trust, Malcolm Hurlston, said: “Debt judgments in Northern Ireland remain at the historically high levels of 2009.

“With the impact of public sector budget cuts to come, caution must be the watchword. With this in mind it is encouraging that so many more people are checking up on judgment records before making a transaction.

“Using trustonline is quick and cheap and can help people avoid future financial headaches."

Registry Trust is a non-profit company established in 1986. It maintains public records of judgment and decree information for most jurisdictions in the British Isles and Ireland. These records are an important factor in avoiding debt and in supporting responsible lending decisions, which in turn underpin a modern and stable economy.

Anyone may search for entries against a named person or business at a stated address or a corporate body in the United Kingdom or the republic of Ireland by submitting a request either via Registry Trust’s website www.trustonline.org.uk or by post to Registry Trust, 173-175 Cleveland Street, London W1T 6QR.