A registered debt counsellor assesses your financial circumstances, provides guidance and assists with the restructuring of eligible debts.
Start with a free, no-obligation assessment of your income, household expenses and outstanding debts. This helps determine whether debt counselling may be appropriate for your financial circumstances.
If you qualify for debt counselling, your financial circumstances are assessed to develop a repayment arrangement based on your affordability and applicable legal requirements.
Where the debt counselling process proceeds, the relevant credit providers are notified and your debts are assessed for restructuring. The process provides a structured way to manage your eligible credit agreements while the formal debt review process progresses.
Your repayment arrangement is structured around your assessed affordability. Instead of managing multiple payments individually, payments are distributed to participating credit providers through a registered Payment Distribution Agency (PDA), in accordance with the arrangement.
Once the applicable debts have been paid and the requirements for exiting debt review have been met, a clearance certificate may be issued. This marks an important step towards completing the debt counselling and debt review journey.
As a national debt counsellor, Debt Rescue provides debt counselling services to consumers across South Africa, with support available online and through in-person consultations.
Our debt counselling services are available nationally with in-person consultations available at our offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, Pretoria, Kempton Park, Durban.
Whether you prefer to start your assessment online or arrange an in-person consultation, you can access support from NCR-registered debt counsellors and a team experienced in helping South Africans manage over-indebtedness.
Debt counselling is a regulated debt-relief measure under South Africa’s National Credit Act (NCA) that helps qualifying consumers who are over-indebted assess their financial circumstances and restructure eligible debts into a more manageable repayment arrangement with the assistance of a registered debt counsellor.
Debt counselling can involve:
• Assessing your income, expenses and outstanding credit agreements
• Determining whether you are over-indebted and may qualify for debt counselling
• Providing guidance on managing your financial obligations
• Negotiating with credit providers where appropriate
• Restructuring eligible debts into a more manageable repayment arrangement
• Providing support throughout the debt review process
Debt counsellors must be registered with the National Credit Regulator. The NCR advises consumers to verify the debt counsellor’s name and NCR registration number before using their services.
Debt counselling and debt review refer to the same debt-relief process in South Africa.
Debt counselling, also known as debt review, is a formal debt-relief process provided for under Section 86 of the National Credit Act. It is designed to assist consumers who are over-indebted and struggling to meet their monthly debt obligations.
The process involves an assessment of your financial circumstances by a registered debt counsellor, who can help restructure your eligible debts and negotiate more manageable repayments with your credit providers.
If you want to understand the debt review process in more detail, visit our Debt Review solutions.
Debt counselling provides qualifying consumers with a structured process for addressing over-indebtedness and managing their eligible debts.
Depending on the stage and circumstances of the debt review process, it can provide important protections and help you:
• Work towards an affordable repayment arrangement
• Avoid managing multiple eligible debt repayments separately
• Have your eligible debts assessed and potentially restructured
• Receive guidance from a registered debt counsellor
• Work towards resolving your over-indebtedness through a regulated process
Debt counselling does not mean that your debts are written off. You remain responsible for repaying your debts according to the applicable repayment arrangement.
Debt counselling is intended for consumers who are over-indebted and unable to meet their credit obligations as they become due.
You may need to consider debt counselling if:
• Your monthly debt obligations are becoming difficult to manage
• Your income is not sufficient to cover your living expenses and credit repayments comfortably
• You have multiple credit agreements with different providers
• You are struggling to keep up with your monthly repayments
• You want professional assistance in assessing your financial position and debt-relief options
A debt counsellor will assess your individual circumstances to determine whether you qualify and whether debt counselling is appropriate for you.
Once you submit your application, Debt Rescue will assess your financial circumstances and guide you through the next steps.
The process may include:
• Completing a free assessment of your income, expenses and debts
• Reviewing your credit agreements and financial obligations
• Determining whether you qualify for debt counselling
• Developing a repayment arrangement where appropriate
• Notifying relevant credit providers as required
• Making repayments through a registered Payment Distribution Agency (PDA) once the applicable arrangement is in place
Your debt counsellor and support team will guide you through the process and explain what you need to do at each stage.
Debt counselling can provide more than a repayment arrangement. For qualifying consumers, it offers a structured way to address over-indebtedness with professional guidance.
Key benefits can include:
• A repayment arrangement based on your affordability
• One monthly payment to simplify your debt management
• Professional guidance from an NCR-registered debt counsellor
• Assistance with restructuring eligible debts
• A structured process for dealing with multiple credit providers
• Ongoing support throughout your debt counselling journey
• A pathway towards completing your debt review and becoming debt free
Debt counselling is not suitable for every financial situation. A registered debt counsellor can assess your circumstances and explain the options available to you.
