Debt review status
Understand your debt review status before you act.
Debt review still showing on your credit report can mean several different things. Understanding which one applies to you is the first step before taking any action.
This page explains how to check what your report actually says, the role of supporting documents such as a clearance certificate, and why the appropriate professional and process depend on your individual circumstances. It is general information, not a determination of your status or eligibility.
An enquiry is not a debt-review application, a cancellation instruction or confirmation that you qualify for removal. Do not stop agreed repayments while your position is being checked.
Check what your report actually says
Start by reading the debt review information shown on your credit report rather than assuming what it means. A debt-review indicator records that a debt-rearrangement process exists or existed. It is a different kind of entry from a default or a judgment. To recognise the difference, first identify the different kinds of entries on a credit report before deciding what to do.
There is an important distinction between an active debt review status and inaccurate or outdated reporting. An active status means a debt-rearrangement arrangement or order is still in place. An inaccurate or outdated status may mean the information has not been updated even though the underlying position has changed. These are not the same situation, and they call for different responses.
Before acting, it helps to distinguish credit repair from debt review. Checking information is not the same as permission to leave an arrangement, and correcting a report entry is not the same as ending a lawful debt review.
Understand the role of your documents
Supporting documents help establish what has actually happened. A clearance certificate, commonly called Form 19, is issued by the responsible registered debt counsellor when the applicable requirements are met. Under section 71 of the National Credit Act, a clearance certificate is the normal lawful route for exiting a debt-rearrangement order once its requirements are satisfied.
Keep your certificate, supporting letters, submission references and the date of the credit report you checked. These documents help confirm whether the reported status is current, whether a certificate has been issued and filed, and whether the credit bureaus have been updated.
A certificate is an important document, but it is not an instant deletion instruction. The credit bureaus still need to update their records, and the filing process has its own steps. If the reported information appears inconsistent with your documents, the next step is to identify exactly what remains and why, rather than assuming a sent document was accepted.
Use the appropriate professional and process
The responsible registered debt counsellor is the appropriate professional for questions about an existing debt review arrangement. They can confirm the stage reached, whether a clearance certificate applies and what the filing outcome was. Regulated debt-counselling work must be handled by a registered debt counsellor; individual legal questions need appropriately qualified legal advice.
Having a status corrected does not necessarily mean a consumer may lawfully leave debt review. Correcting an inaccurate or outdated listing is an administrative or dispute matter; leaving a valid debt-rearrangement arrangement follows the applicable legal process, including the section 71 clearance requirements where they apply. A higher income, paying creditors directly or wanting finance does not automatically end debt review.
Eligibility and the applicable process depend on individual circumstances — the agreements involved, the stage reached, the supporting evidence and the requirements that apply. There is no universal route, and a website enquiry cannot determine your status or eligibility. You can ask SA Credit Clear about your situation while seeking the appropriate professional for the regulated questions.
Questions to take to your adviser
These questions are a starting point for a conversation with the responsible debt counsellor or a qualified professional, not a substitute for advice about your specific circumstances. If you would like help understanding what is on your report and the appropriate next step, send a brief enquiry and we will contact you.
General information only. Your documents and circumstances determine the appropriate process. Continue complying with your existing obligations while obtaining qualified guidance.
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