Case Study: First Time Buyers - Self-Employed with a CCJ

Meet Fran & Kim

Fran and Kim are a couple in their late 30s from Matlock in Derbyshire. Fran works as a self-employed digital marketer, while Kim is a primary school teacher.

Like many first-time buyers, they were motivated by more than just finding a property. They wanted somewhere they could genuinely settle—especially as rising rental costs were making it harder to plan ahead.

Their starting point

• Joint income: around £60,000
• Deposit: they saved over £8,000
• Property goal: a home near Kim’s school, with space for work and day-to-day life

They’d been renting a two-bedroom home for several years and were determined to stop paying rent and start building equity.

The challenge: self-employment and a CCJ

Fran had previously built up credit card debt. The situation changed when a County Court Judgment (CCJ) was issued around two years earlier.

After the CCJ, Fran focused on getting her finances back on track—clearing what she owed and putting stronger financial habits in place.

Because Fran is self-employed, their mortgage affordability also needed to be assessed carefully, with income evidenced in a way that lenders could understand.

How did we help?

Fran and Kim initially assumed their bank would be the simplest route. They met with a branch manager who was comfortable with their general spending patterns, but the application became more difficult once the CCJ and Fran’s self-employed status were considered.

They then sought specialist support so their circumstances could be considered as a whole, rather than through a single past issue.

What made the difference

A specialist broker reviewed their position and focused on the factors lenders typically want to understand in cases like this:

• How the CCJ had been addressed and what their financial position looked like afterwards
• How self-employed income could be evidenced and presented clearly
• Whether the overall application could be matched to a lender whose approach aligned with their profile

With the right lender match and preparation, Fran and Kim were able to move forward and secure a mortgage.

What Fran & Kim say

“Here we are, in our new home—we can’t quite believe it!”

They described the process as supportive and reassuring, particularly because they were navigating a lot of information online and sometimes received contradictory guidance.

They also highlighted the emotional impact of finally becoming homeowners. For them, the mortgage wasn’t just about buying a property—it was about gaining control of their finances and having a place they could call their own.

Key takeaways from this first-time buyer case study

• A CCJ doesn’t always mean a mortgage is impossible—especially where there’s evidence of improvement and stability.
• Self-employment can be workable, but it often requires careful presentation of income and supporting documentation.
• Specialist lender matching matters when your situation doesn’t fit a standard application profile.
• Preparation and budgeting (including saving a deposit) can help you move from “not yet” to “moving forward.”