Debt counselling advice when choosing the best debt review or the best Debt Counsellor for you or a loved one.

At first, the debt counselling process can be overwhelming.

You may have questions about how will this affect your credit score, how long will the process take, and how much will it cost you. But if you are partnered with a responsible and trusted debt counselling company you will be guaranteed peace of mind.

NB: Debt Counselling Advice…The following are the most important things to consider when you are selecting a Debt Counsellor.

The Debt Counsellor must be well-informed and registered with the National Credit Regulator.

Debt Counsellors are required to be registered with the National Credit Regulator (NCR) and provide accurate and current information. Your debt counsellor should be able to answer any questions you may have about the process.

If you feel as though you are not being assisted and are left with more questions than answers, the chances are that you may need to seek a new debt counselling company.

To further ensure that your debt counsellor is in fact registered with the National Credit Regulator, you may request the debt counsellor’s registration number which can be verified by the National Credit Regulator.

The Fees must be in line with the National Credit Regulator.

While debt counsellors can charge their own fees, they must be aligned with the fee structures as stipulated by the National Credit Regulator. These fees can include the rejection fee, restructuring fee, application fee, after-care fee, and potential legal fees.

Typically, all these costs are accounted for in your restructured payment amount, and it should be an affordable repayment amount for the consumer as stipulated by the National Credit Regulator.

Your debt counsellor should be able to provide a breakdown of the fee structure should you require it – and answer your questions on the different types of fees.

The Debt Counsellor must make use of a reputable payment agency.

Debt counselling companies are legally not allowed to make payments directly to credit providers on your behalf once your debt has been restructured. Instead, they are required to make use of a Payment Distribution Agency (PDA), registered with the National Credit Regulator. (i.e The National Payment Distribution Agency)

Your personal information must be protected.

The relationship between you and your debt counsellor needs to be based on trust and confidentiality. This is because the process will require you to share confidential financial information. Your debt counsellor should, in turn, keep this information private and secure at all times.

The debt counselling company should also have sufficient security measures that prevent its clients’ information from being accessed by external parties.

Must have a reputable industry footprint.

Before signing up with a debt counselling company, do your homework. Look at the company’s website and what it has to offer, reviews they’ve received, or cross-check the company against its competition.

Remember, when in doubt – don’t sign up. If you find that the company is not up to scratch after your research and cross-checking it with the NCR, rather keep looking.

The National Debt Review Center is a trusted, registered and well-known debt counselling company that its purpose is to develop specialized financial plans and offering sound financial solutions based on each person unique needs and objectives. We pledge to deliver the utmost in client service and act with the highest standards of integrity.

If you want to find out more about the debt counselling process and how we can safely help you or your loved one, feel free to contact The National Debt Review Center on 087 822 1249 /041 101 1037 / 072 770 3674 or email info@ndrc.org.za