Credit Matters

Who qualifies for Credit Matters debt counselling?

Credit Matters assesses whether you are over-indebted: unable to meet your credit repayments after reasonable living expenses. The assessment considers your income, household budget and existing commitments. It is not a loan approval or a promise that every debt can be included.

Prepare identification details, proof of income, a household expense breakdown and statements showing your creditors, balances and instalments. These reflect the information required by the NCR’s prescribed application form. Confirm Credit Matters’ current document checklist, bank-statement period and any spouse or marriage documents directly. No fixed minimum income or debt threshold was verified in the provider pages checked.

Disclose summonses, judgments and other enforcement documents immediately. Agreements already subject to enforcement proceedings under section 130 may be excluded from a new debt-review application. The precise legal stage matters; a collection call alone does not establish that exclusion.

When Credit Matters may be suitable

This service may suit someone with several unaffordable credit repayments who still has dependable income available for a reduced repayment plan. Its practical value is coordinating the budget, creditor negotiations and payment arrangements.

If the difficulty is temporary or limited to one account, ask the creditor about a hardship arrangement first. If no money remains after essential expenses, obtain an assessment of other debt remedies before committing to ongoing fees.

A debt consolidation loan replaces existing borrowing with new credit and requires a separate affordability assessment. Debt counselling restructures existing obligations. Compare other debt counselling services using written fees, proposed settlement dates and support arrangements.

How Credit Matters debt review works

Assessment, application and repayments

1. Request an assessment: Use the official assessment form or call 086 111 6197. Confirm whether you are requesting information or submitting a formal debt-review application.
2. Review your finances: The counsellor checks your income, expenses and credit commitments. Formal application involves notifying creditors and credit bureaux.
3. Consider the proposal: Credit Matters negotiates revised repayments and seeks the appropriate legal approval. Review each account’s proposed rate, term and payment before proceeding.
4. Maintain the arrangement: Credit Matters identifies Hyphen PDA as its payment distribution agency. Confirm the current payment instructions and check distribution statements against creditor balances.

Request the responsible counsellor’s name and registration number. The NCR register entry inspected lists Nadeem Williams of Credit Matters as registered under NCRDC19; registration is not an endorsement of outcomes.

The provider’s website privacy policy is dated 12/01/2020 and addresses website information. Ask for the current consent terms covering financial documents, credit bureaux, attorneys and payment distribution.

How long does it take?

Credit Matters’ FAQ gives a five-to-eight-year repayment aim, not a fixed completion date. No firm assessment or court-completion time was verified. Ask for application milestones and projected settlement dates for each debt, especially a home loan.

Legal protection depends on the account’s status, the required process and compliance with the arrangement. It is not a payment holiday or unconditional protection against repossession. Obtain written payment instructions while negotiations and legal proceedings continue.

Repayment support and complaints

If a payment becomes unaffordable, contact Credit Matters promptly on 021 202 1100 or info@creditmatters.co.za. Its contact page lists 702 The Towers (South), corner Heerengracht and Hertzog Boulevard, Foreshore, Cape Town.

Keep written complaints, payment records and correspondence. Unresolved debt counselling complaints can be referred to the NCR at dccomplaints@ncr.org.za or 0860 627 627, following its complaints process.

Questions to ask before applying

• Which accounts qualify, which remain outside the plan, and how will those separate payments fit my budget?
• What is the complete fee schedule, including VAT, legal work, distribution charges and insurance?
• How much reaches each creditor during the first three months, and when is the legal application filed?
• Which interest reductions are confirmed, and what are the projected total repayments and settlement dates?
• What happens if my income falls, I make additional payments or need to change counsellors?
• When does my enquiry become a formal application, and what legal route would apply if I later wanted to leave?

Credit Matters advantages and limitations

Advantages

• A free initial assessment provides an opportunity to discuss suitability before formal application.
• The described service combines budgeting, creditor negotiations and coordinated payment distribution.
• An identifiable Credit Matters counsellor appears in the official NCR register.

Limitations

• The published fee wording is undated and insufficient for a dependable total-cost comparison.
• Reduced instalments may require a lengthy commitment; interest reductions depend on the agreed arrangement.
• The website’s broad statements about legal protection and cancelling debt-review orders require qualification against the applicable law and NCR guidance.

Credit Matters fees, interest and total cost

The provider’s debt-review page refers to fees capped at R6,000 for an application, a monthly charge of 5% of the amount paid, and variable legal fees. It does not clearly explain the effective date, VAT treatment or full ongoing fee limits. Obtain an itemised quotation rather than treating R6,000 as the entire cost.

For comparison, the NCR fee guideline dated 22 February 2018 lists the following figures, excluding VAT where applicable. These are regulatory guidelines, not confirmation of Credit Matters’ charges:

• Application and administration: R50 and R300 respectively, payable upfront.
• Restructuring: The lower of the initial distributable amount and R8,000 for one applicant, or R9,000 for consumers married in community of property. Payable in month one after proposals are drafted and submitted.
• After-care: The lower of 5% of the distributable amount and R450, payable after month two in months when services are provided.
• Conditional work: R1,500 for a reckless-lending assessment; R500 for an NCT submission, excluding the tribunal filing fee.
• Attorney fees: Agreed upfront and disclosed in writing.

The distributable amount means the creditor payment under the initial rearrangement plan. Ask Credit Matters to reconcile its website figures with the proposed fee agreement and specify separate payment-distribution charges.

Total cost matters alongside affordability. Compare the remaining payments on your existing agreements with the proposed payments, fees and insurance over the full revised term. A smaller monthly instalment does not establish an overall saving.

No complete representative repayment example or standalone compulsory insurance condition was verified. Existing credit-life or asset-cover obligations may continue. Confirm required cover, premiums, exclusions and claim conditions before changing any policy.

Is Credit Matters worth considering?

Credit Matters merits consideration if you need a coordinated plan for unaffordable credit repayments. Its strongest feature is the combination of budgeting, negotiation and payment administration; its main weakness is incomplete public cost information. The decisive comparison is a sustainable household budget and documented repayment schedule, including fees and excluded debts, against another registered counsellor’s proposal.

Credit Matters debt counselling FAQs

How does Credit Matters compare with a debt consolidation loan?

Credit Matters’ debt counselling service restructures existing credit repayments without providing a new loan or cash payout. A debt consolidation loan replaces debts with new borrowing, subject to affordability and credit checks. If you still qualify for borrowing, compare the consolidation loan’s total repayments, fees and insurance with the proposed debt-review costs and duration. Once you have formally applied for debt review, access to further credit is restricted, so make this comparison before committing.

Is Credit Matters registered, and who would be responsible for my case?

The NCR register checked on 13 October 2026 lists Nadeem Williams, trading as Credit Matters, under NCRDC19. Debt counsellor registration belongs to an individual, so ask whose registration your application will fall under and who handles payment disputes and legal progress. When comparing providers, distinguish access to the responsible counsellor from access to a general customer-service team. Registration confirms regulatory status; it does not establish service quality or repayment outcomes.

What does Credit Matters charge, and how can I compare its fees fairly?

The initial assessment is advertised as free. Its undated debt-review page mentions a R6,000 fee cap, a monthly charge of 5% of the amount paid and additional legal fees. This is not a complete current quotation. Request a written breakdown covering application, administration, restructuring, after-care, legal and payment-distribution charges, including VAT where applicable. Compare providers over the same proposed repayment period and check how much of your first payments reaches creditors. A lower setup fee can be outweighed by ongoing charges over a longer term.

Would a lower monthly payment through Credit Matters mean I repay less overall?

Not necessarily. Credit Matters negotiates repayments and interest, but a smaller instalment may also come from extending the term. Its FAQ states an aim of five to eight years, rather than a fixed completion period. Ask each provider for an account-by-account schedule showing the proposed interest rate, settlement date and total remaining payments. Separate creditor-approved concessions from estimates still being negotiated. Comparing monthly payments alone can hide a longer and more expensive commitment.

Does requesting a free assessment affect my credit record or stop me borrowing?

A preliminary enquiry is different from a formal debt-review application. The important question is what you are authorising when you provide information or accept documents. A prescribed application involves notifying credit bureaux and triggers restrictions on further borrowing and use of credit facilities under section 88 of the National Credit Act. Ask Credit Matters to explain the transition from assessment to application and provide copies of your consent and application records. Do not assume the absence of a handwritten signature means no application has occurred: the NCR also recognises prescribed information submitted through other application channels.

Can Credit Matters include my home or car finance if I am already behind?

Arrears alone do not establish whether an agreement can be included. The type of agreement and stage of enforcement matter. Under section 86(2) as amended, an agreement may be excluded where the creditor has already taken section 130 enforcement steps before application. Give the counsellor copies of notices, summonses and judgments, and request written confirmation of which accounts the proposal covers. Compare the payment for included debts together with any excluded obligations. Asset protection remains conditional on the legal position and compliance with the arrangement.

How can I check that my Credit Matters payment actually reaches creditors?

Credit Matters’ service page identifies Hyphen PDA as its payment distribution agency. Ask for statements showing the amount received, fees deducted and payments allocated to each creditor, then compare these with creditor statements. A successful debit order confirms collection, not correct allocation across every account. Before choosing a counsellor, establish who investigates discrepancies and how you obtain written resolutions. If your income falls, request a reassessment promptly; paying a smaller amount without an accepted change can put the arrangement at risk.

Can I leave Credit Matters or cancel debt review if my circumstances improve?

Changing counsellors and leaving debt review are different processes. A transfer does not itself remove debt-review status or cancel your repayment obligations. Ask both counsellors how records, payment instructions and outstanding fees would be handled before transferring.

For exit, Credit Matters’ rescission page suggests that an order can be cancelled when someone is no longer over-indebted. This needs qualification: the NCR’s withdrawal guidance identifies section 71 clearance as the exit route after a debt-rearrangement order. Before an order, changed circumstances may need to be presented to the court. Improved income is not an automatic cancellation mechanism, and the applicable route depends on your case’s legal stage.

Must I settle my home loan before Credit Matters can issue clearance?

Not necessarily. Under section 71 as amended, a qualifying mortgage may remain outstanding if the other included debts are fully settled, the rearranged mortgage has no arrears and you can meet its future repayments. Settling only unsecured loans is insufficient if other included debts, such as vehicle finance, remain unpaid. When comparing repayment proposals, ask for the projected clearance date separately from the mortgage’s final repayment date. Clearance also does not amount to approval for new borrowing.