Debt review removal is free in one specific circumstance: you entered debt review properly through an NCR-registered debt counsellor, paid off all debts under the restructuring plan, and your debt counsellor issues your Clearance Certificate (Form 19) as part of their existing service.
Issuance of the clearance certificate and notification to credit bureaus is part of what you have already been paying for through your monthly after-care fee. There is no additional charge if the process is completed correctly.
Free removal is not possible if:
• You still have outstanding accounts. A court application under Section 87 or 165 is required and involves legal fees.
• Your debt counsellor refuses to issue the clearance certificate or cannot be located. NDRC must step in to facilitate this, which involves a professional fee.
• Your DHS record shows the wrong status even though your debts are paid. Intervention is required to correct it, which involves a professional fee.
Be cautious of any company advertising free removal as a standard offering. Companies using this as a hook typically charge large hidden fees later, collect payment upfront (illegal under Section 126A(3) of the NCA), or are running outright scams. The NCR has specifically warned about fraudulent companies charging R10,000 or more for services they never deliver.
If you have paid all your accounts and your debt counsellor has failed to issue your clearance certificate, NDRC can assist. Our fee starts at R450 excl. VAT and is only payable after the clearance certificate has been issued and bureaus updated.