How Much Does Debt Counselling Cost?

Debt Review is governed and regulated by the NCA and NCR and is a formal legal process. Your fixed monthly debt repayment amount is determined according to your personal situation. Your debt assessment will enable your counsellor to determine your specific fee structure. This is before you are officially under review so you are able to see how much debt counselling costs before consenting and diving into the process. 

The regulated fees according to the National Debt Review Centre as of 2020 are as follows:

The Application Fee

This payment is due upfront and in full.
A regulated cost of R50, this goes towards the processing of your application by your debt counsellor and is once-off.

The Administration Fee

This payment is due upfront and in full.
This once-off regulated cost of R300 is for your Debt Counsellor to complete the following:

• Consultation with your counsellor to discuss the process and its costs
• Form 17.1 processing; notices are sent out to your creditors alerting them that you have applied for debt review.
• NCR Debt Help System data capture by your counsellor.
• Handling any debt review rejections and updating creditors and the NCR Debt Help System accordingly.

 

Debt Counselling Restructuring Fee

Paid for services rendered, this fee equals the distributable amount of no more than R8000 for a single consumer, and no more than R9000 for those married in community of property. 

This is the full assessment of the consumer’s finances and include the below:

• Proposal for creditors to peruse.
• Restructure and organise consumer’s debts on the Debt Counsellors PDA profile.
• Negotiations with your credit providers for lower interest rates, reduced installments etc.
• Submit final proposal to creditors and consumer.
  
• Supply attorneys with sufficient documents to draft court applications.
• Updating the NCR Debt Help System Accordingly.
• Transfer requests from consumers handled.
• For consent orders, filling in NCT applications.
• Handling withdrawal requests from consumers.

 

Reckless Lending Fee

R1500
Your counsellor will take a look at any reckless lending investigations, and supply attorneys with relevant documents to draft affidavits on the assessment outcome.

 

After Care Fee

5% of the distributable amount, or no more than R450 per month; if the amount exceeds this then query immediately with your counsellor and the NCR. 

Deducted monthly from the debt review restructured amount
Your counsellor will keep you up to date with the status and progress of your review and perform the following tasks while you are under review:

 

• Form 17.2 processing
• Evaluation of consumer’s financials
• Follow up on any payment queries
• Secure paid-up letters to facilitate the clearance process
  
• Attend to any withdrawal requests and follow processes
• Updating the NCR Debt Help System Accordingly

   

  National Consumer Tribunal Submission Fee

  R500 once-off payment excluding NCT filing fee
  If a consent order is needed, your counsellor will submit your application with the National Consumer Tribunal (NCT).

  Attorney Fee

  This is equivalent to your monthly debt amount for your legal application to the magistrate’s court.

  A Monthly Payment Distribution Fee (PDA) as per the NCR

   

  Important Notes:

   

  • Once you have paid all above mentioned fees, you cannot be charged additionally. If you are asked for additional payments then query this with your counsellor and the NCR immediately.
  • All the fees are structured as part of your monthly repayment plan, so if any upfront or separate fees are requested then the consumer must question the validity and integrity of their counsellor and consult the NCR. The fees will be different from person to person depending on specific financials and they are calculated as a percentage of the monthly debt owed.
  • Only one monthly debt payment made to your counsellor, who will then spread the money across creditors owed with the help of a Payment Distribution Agency (PDA).