The number and total value of debt judgments in Jersey fell in the first half of 2019 compared with the same period in 2018, according to figures released last week by Registry Trust.
There were 766 judgments registered in Jersey during H1 2019, 14% fewer than in the first six months of 2018. The total value of all judgments fell 36% from £4.1m (H1 2018) to £2.6m (H1 2019). The average value of judgments dropped 26% to £3,412, and the median fell by 20% to £250.
The number of debt judgments against consumers has declined in the first half of 2019 compared with the same time period in 2018. Judgments against consumers fell 16% to 678 and the total value of consumer judgments dropped 31% to £2.1m. The average value of a consumer judgment was £3,102 a decrease of 19%; the median value fell by 11% to £216.
Business judgments
There were 88 business judgments in H1 2019, two fewer than in H1 2018. The total value dropped to £510,358, a 51% decrease on the first half of 2018. The average judgment value fell 50% to £5,800, though the median business judgment’s value increased by 41% to £3,023.
During the first six months of 2019, 4.9% of Jersey’s judgments were satisfied. This contrasts with 13.88% in England and Wales.
Registry Trust deputy chairman, Mick McAteer said “Both the number and value of judgments against consumers in Jersey have shown a significant and, on the face of it, encouraging fall over the past year. It will be interesting to see if this improvement continues.”
About Registry Trust
Registry Trust is a non-profit organisation which collects judgment information from jurisdictions throughout the British Isles and Ireland. In Jersey it collects, verifies and makes publicly available judgment records from the petty debts and royal court. A judgment is incontrovertible proof of unmanaged debt.
In the first half of 2019 Registry Trust received 19,548 requests to search the register for Jersey online at www.trustonline.org.uk, which allows anyone to search for judgments and similar information registered against consumers and businesses in any jurisdiction across the British Isles and Ireland.