How an administration order works
Administration orders are managed by the local court.
That means the court will decide how much money will be repaid, the size of monthly instalments and the length of time it will take to complete the administration order.
You’ll be charged a court fee every you make a payment but it’s important to be aware that the fee cannot be more than 10% of the total amount owed. That means if you owe £4,500, for example, you won’t pay more than £450 in fees.
You’ll keep paying for as long as it takes to pay your debt. At the end of the administration order, you’ll pay £15 for a Certificate of Satisfaction – this proved you have finished paying off what you owe.
To receive the certificate you must write to the court with a cheque to Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service
If you cannot pay in a reasonable time during your administration order, a district judge can suggest you consider a composition order. This will put a time limit on your repayment timeframe and writes off some of your debt.
Falling behind on payments could lead to an attachment of earnings order that allows the court to take money directly from your wages or cancel the arrangement.
Can I apply for an administration order?
You need to meet certain criteria if you want to apply for an administration order.
To be eligible you must:
- have at least two debts you cannot pay in full
- owe less than £5,000 in total
- have at least one debt that is a county court judgment or have a high court judgment against you
- can afford to make regular repayments towards total debt.
What debts can be included in an administration order?
While all types of debts can be included in an administration order, there are some exceptions to be aware of.
A judge may leave out some debts, these are likely to be council tax arrears or criminal fines. A creditor can also object to being included in the administration order and ask the court to leave them out. The court will decide it’s fair to leave them out or not.
It’s also important to keep in mind that while an administration order can include any mortgage or rent arrears the order won’t prevent a landlord or mortgage lender from repossessing your home.
What is a composition order?
If you’re unable to make regular payments in a reasonable time during the course of your administration order (usually three years), the court might grant a composition order.
A composition order allows you to pay back a portion of what you owe each month rather than a payment each month that would eventually see you pay back your debt in full.
For example, if you owe £2,000 but can pay £12.50 per month it would take you more than seven years to pay back the full amount. With a composition order, your payments would be based on your affordability. So in this instance, if you could afford £12.50 you’d make that payment for three years then the remaining debt would be written off.
Will an administration order appear on my credit file?
As with most types of debt solutions, any application for an administration order will appear on your credit file and affect your credit score.
The administration order will appear on the Register of Judgements, Orders and Fines for six years and will have a negative impact on your credit score during this time.
A mark on your credit file and a lower credit score can make it hard to get credit in future. However, it’s important to remember that if you’ve entered into an administration order because of a County Court Judgement your credit score will already be negatively affected so you shouldn’t let that put you off considering it as a solution.
What happens if circumstances change during an administration order?
If your circumstances change during an administration order, it’s important you tell the court immediately.
You can ask the court to review the administration order and lower your monthly payments or ask to consider a composition order which will write off some of your debt.
If you miss two payments in a row the court has the right to revoke, or cancel, the administration order. If this happens your creditors are permitted to contact you again, to chase for payments, add backdated interest and begin enforcement action against you.
If this happens you should contact your creditors as soon as possible to arrange a payment plan as soon as possible.
Where can I get debt advice and find out more about administration orders?
Administration orders can help those who cannot pay debts in full but are not the only debt solution available.
If you’re worried about your financial situation and covering the costs of all your debts it’s vital you seek professional debt advice.
Find out all the benefits of the debt help available by speaking to an expert today.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of an administration order?
- You'll make a single monthly payment that will be split amongst your creditors
- Creditors listed in the administration order can't take action against you without the court's permission
- You will reduce your stress levels knowing you don't need to juggle several debt repayments
- You'll be free of the debts included in the administration order at the end of the arrangement
- It's only available if you have at least one CCJ against you and have less than £5,000 of debt
- You'll pay 10% of your debt level as a fee
- Falling behind on payments could lead to an attachment of earnings order that allows the court to take money directly from your wages or cancel the arrangement.
- It will negatively affect your credit score for six years
Where can I get debt advice and find out more about administration orders?
Administration orders can help those who cannot pay debts in full but are not the only debt solution available.
If you’re worried about your financial situation and covering the costs of all your debts it’s vital you seek professional debt advice.
Find out all the benefits of the debt help available by speaking to an expert today.
