Step 3 Choose your debt solution 3 If you agree that you owe the money, you can make an offer of payment. This will be the offer you worked out earlier. If you don’t agree that you owe all, or some, of the debt, you can put in a defence. We have several fact sheets to help you. The best one to read will depend on your circumstances. If you get court forms, you need to reply within set timescales, so contact us for advice straightaway. Has a creditor threatened to make you bankrupt? We rarely see creditors make people bankrupt. If your creditor threatens to do this, or sends you a form called a ‘statutory demand’, contact us for advice straightaway. If you already have a county court judgment (CCJ) If you are up to date with payments set by the court Your creditor is limited in what they can do if you are up to date with payments set by the court. They can ask that you attend court so that a court officer can ask you questions on oath about your circumstances. You could be asked about things such as your employment status, who you work for, your income and whether you own anything of value. Your creditor may also be able to ask the court for a charging order, but this will depend on when they originally applied for the CCJ. If you have not paid what the court ordered you to pay If you do not pay what the court orders you to pay, your creditor could take further action. This includes: • asking for a charging order; • using bailiffs to try and take your goods; • asking for money to be taken directly from your wages; and • freezing funds in your bank account or telling someone who owes you money to pay them instead. Page 93