Credit repair guide
Credit repair and debt review are not the same service.
They are often confused, but they address different problems and follow different processes. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right kind of support.
Different problems call for different support
Credit-record assessment and correction focuses on the accuracy of the information held about you. It involves checking your credit report, identifying entries that may be inaccurate, duplicated, wrongly attributed or outdated, and following the appropriate dispute or correction route. Read more about what clearing a credit record means to understand its scope and limits.
Debt counselling is a regulated process for consumers who are over-indebted. A registered debt counsellor assesses affordability, and where appropriate a court confirms a rearrangement of debts with credit providers. This results in a debt-rearrangement arrangement or order, and a debt-review indicator on the credit report.
The key distinction is this: credit repair works on the accuracy of reported information, while debt review works on the affordability of the underlying debts through a regulated rearrangement. Correcting a credit bureau listing does not itself terminate a lawful debt review arrangement.
Choose the appropriate professional
Because the problems are different, the appropriate professional is different too. Questions about an existing debt review arrangement — its status, the stage reached, or whether a clearance certificate applies — are for the responsible registered debt counsellor. Individual legal questions need appropriately qualified legal advice.
SA Credit Clear offers credit-record assessment and administrative support, including debt review removal assistance. We can help you understand what is on your report and the appropriate next step, but regulated debt-counselling work must be handled by a registered debt counsellor. You can ask about service scope while seeking the appropriate professional for debt-review or affordability questions.
Already in debt review? Check before acting
If you are already in debt review, understand your existing obligations before acting. A lawful, active debt review status cannot be removed on demand by a credit service, and improving your financial position does not automatically end the arrangement. Read about checking a debt-review status without assuming that paid credit repair removes a lawful flag.
Consumers experiencing unaffordable repayments should seek appropriate assistance promptly rather than stopping payments or taking on new credit to manage a score. Do not stop agreed repayments on the strength of a credit service before obtaining qualified guidance about your situation.
Promises of guaranteed debt review removal should be treated cautiously. Paying a fee does not guarantee removal, and any upfront payment for covered removal services is restricted by section 126A(3) of the National Credit Act. The appropriate route depends on your individual circumstances and the supporting evidence.
Questions about the difference
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