Get the expert help you need to fix your debt in 3 easy steps.
The DebtSafe Process
No, our Debt Consolidation program is not a consolidation loan, but rather a safer alternative to consolidate debt.
Consolidation loans have high interest rates and strict requirements – most people, are not able to qualify for it. On top of that, it offers zero legal protection against your creditors.
A consolidation loan is not considered a feasible solution to indebtedness
since you are in reality borrowing more money to pay for your debt, adding to your debt pile.
Unlike consolidation loans, our Debt Consolidation program restructures your credit obligations to an affordable, consolidated, repayment plan, while protecting you from specific fee structure will look like we suggest requesting a free debt assessment (no obligation required).
No, the National Credit Act prohibits you from getting more credit while in Debt Review.
The reason is that your reduced instalments are precisely calculated according to your current debt obligations and living expenses. Also, getting more credit while already struggling with your debt will be seen as reckless in the eyes of the law, and will add to your debt worries.
But, once your Debt Review program is successfully completed we will send a Clearance Certificate to your creditors and the credit bureaus. They are then required by law to remove your default listings and your Debt Review listing from your credit profile – leaving you with a fully restored credit profile, leaving you free to apply for credit once again.
Debt Counselling is a professional service so there are fees involved. But, there are no up-front fees because our fees are paid by your instalments and are built into your restructured payment plan.
The fees are set by the National Credit Regulator and are the same for all debt counsellors. Here are the types of fees you can expect:
• Debt Counselling Fee
• Legal Fee
• Aftercare Fee
• Payment Distribution Agency (PDA) Fee
• Credit Life Insurance Fee
Most of the fees will depend on the amount of your repayment and will differ from person to person. So, to get a better idea of what your specific fee structure will look like we suggest requesting a free debt assessment (no obligation required).
A: DebtSafe helps South Africans struggling with their debt through a program called Debt Review (also referred to as Debt Consolidation or Debt Counselling).
In short, our program reworks your debt repayments into an affordable, consolidated repayment plan – meaning your debt repayments are made into one single, reduced repayment.
Your repayment plan is formulated in such a way that it enables you to pay your debt as well as pay for essential living costs (school fees, food, rent, commute etc.), giving you immediate financial breathing space.
Your repayment plan is agreed upon by your creditors (we negotiate with them on your behalf), is regulated by the National Credit Act (NCA) and authorised through a Court Order. This means that our program legally protects you, and your assets (car and home), against creditors who want to take legal action against you.
Once you have successfully completed your DebtSafe program you will receive a Clearance Certificate. This is sent to you and the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus will then remove the Debt Review flag from your profile as well as all your default listings. Your payment history will however still reflect on your credit profile for the period of two years as per the conditions of the National Credit Act (NCA).
A: Debt Review is a professional service and does require certain fees.
However, there are no up-front fees. All our fees are paid from your instalments and form part of your restructured payment plan.
The fees are regulated by the National Credit Regulator (NCR) and are the same for all Debt Counsellors. There are five types of fees;
- Once-off Application fee
- Once-off Debt Counsellors fee
- Once-off Legal fee
- Monthly Payment Distribution Agency (PDA) fee
- Monthly Aftercare fee
- Once-off Reckless Credit Check fee
Some of the above-mentioned fees will be unique to your debt situation since they are determined by your monthly debt repayment instalment. Our free debt assessment (no obligation required) will provide you with a clearer outline of what your specific fee structure will look like.
A: In theory, you should be able to apply for credit again within a week of receiving your Clearance Certificate. But we have seen that the credit bureaus take longer than that to clear your record. We would suggest waiting three months before applying for new credit.
After the credit bureaus receive your Clearance Certificate each account in your Payment History should have a “Paid Up” or “Closed” status. Since your Payment History remains on your credit report for 2 years your credit score will take some time to become good – as time passes your credit score will improve, and by six months it will be in a much better standing (but you don’t have to wait that long to apply for credit).
Pull your credit report about one month after receiving your Clearance Certificate. Check that everything is in order before applying for credit. If you see that the Debt Review listing sill reflects on your credit profile contact the credit bureau immediately to rectify the listing.
Also keep in mind that even though your credit score might be good, credit providers might still have a flag indicating your history on their internal systems. They must also remove those records. It always remains the decision of the credit provider whether or not they want to extend credit to you. If they do decline your credit application, you have a right to know exactly why they declined it.