No. The NCR's Withdrawal from Debt Review Guidelines (Circular 001/2021, paragraph 10.2) confirm that a consumer cannot remain under debt review without an active, registered debt counsellor on record. Debt review is, by its statutory design, administered by a debt counsellor; it is not a process the consumer can run alone.
If your debt counsellor has cancelled their registration, passed away, had their registration withdrawn by the NCR, or simply ceased to operate, the matter must be transferred to another registered debt counsellor. The transfer is done by Form 17.T and does not require you to restart the debt review or pay a new application or restructuring fee.
Allowing a debt review to sit with no active counsellor exposes you to several risks. Credit providers cannot direct queries or proposals anywhere. Court applications, distributions, and clearance work all stall. The flag remains on your credit profile while no one is administering the matter.
If you are uncertain whether your debt counsellor is still active, you can verify their registration on the NCR's public register. NDRC will accept transfers from inactive or unresponsive debt counsellors; contact us for a free file review.