Even after clearing all my debts, my credit report still shows I am under debt review. How can I get this removed?

Category: Special Cases

Under Debt Review. How Can I Get This Removed?

TITLE: Debt Review Flag Still Showing After Paying All Debts | NDRC | META: If you have paid all your debts but the debt review flag remains, your debt counsellor has failed to issue the clearance certificate. NDRC can resolve this.

If you have settled all accounts included in your debt review plan but the debt review flag still appears on your credit reports, the problem is that the required administrative steps to formally close the debt review process have not been completed.

Specifically, one or more of the following has not happened:

• Your debt counsellor has not issued a Clearance Certificate (Form 19) under Section 71 of the NCA. The certificate must be issued within 7 days of you settling the last account.

• Your debt counsellor has not updated your status on the NCR Debt Help System to reflect the clearance.

• Your debt counsellor has not notified all four credit bureaus.

What you should do:

1. Contact your debt counsellor in writing and request the Clearance Certificate immediately. Keep a record of this request.

2. If your debt counsellor fails to respond or refuses, lodge a formal complaint with the NCR at [email protected] or 0860 627 627. Section 71 of the NCA obliges the debt counsellor to issue the certificate within 7 days of you satisfying the qualifying conditions.

3. If your debt counsellor is unreachable or has closed their practice, contact NDRC. As a registered debt counsellor, NDRC can step in to facilitate the clearance process.

4. If the NCR complaint process does not resolve the matter, you can apply to the National Consumer Tribunal for an order compelling the debt counsellor to issue the clearance certificate under Section 71(2) of the NCA.

NDRC assists consumers who have paid up their debts but are held back by an unresponsive debt counsellor. Our fee for facilitating a clearance certificate starts at R450 excl. VAT and is only payable after the certificate has been issued and the bureaus updated. Contact us at 041 012 5036 or [email protected].