Loans while under debt review: what is and isn't possible
If you are under debt review, you have applied under section 86 of the National Credit Act to have your debts restructured by a debt counsellor. From that moment until a clearance certificate is issued, section 88 bars you from taking on new credit, and a lender that grants it is lending recklessly. Websites offering 'loans for debt review clients' are selling something that a registered lender cannot legally provide.
We do not list lenders on this page and we earn nothing from it. It exists because the search is common and the answer matters: what debt review means for you, how it ends, what to do if you need money before it does, and the difference between debt review and debt consolidation, which people often confuse.
No lenders are listed on this page, on purpose.
A registered lender cannot legally offer what this search asks for. We earn nothing here; the guidance below is the answer.
What section 88 says
Once you apply for debt review, you may not incur further charges under a credit facility or enter into any further credit agreement until one of three things happens: the debt counsellor rejects the application, the court order is rescinded, or all the restructured obligations are satisfied and a clearance certificate is issued. Lenders see the debt-review flag on your credit record; the ones that ignore it are the ones to avoid.
If you need money while under review
Talk to your debt counsellor first. The restructured plan can sometimes be renegotiated if your circumstances have changed, and a counsellor can approach credit providers on your behalf. Emergency options outside credit include an employer advance, community savings groups and, for insured events, your policies. Borrowing from an unregistered lender while under review is the most expensive mistake available, because the debt is outside the plan and the terms are unenforceable both ways.
Leaving debt review
Debt review ends with a clearance certificate once the restructured debts are paid, or earlier if you settle them in full. After the certificate, the bureaus must remove the flag, and you can apply for credit again. Withdrawing from debt review before the debts are paid is possible only in limited circumstances and usually leaves the flag on your record, so it rarely helps.
Debt review versus debt consolidation
Consolidation is a new loan that pays off several old ones; it is credit, and you need an acceptable record and affordability to get it. Debt review is a statutory process that restructures your existing debts without new borrowing. If you are not under review and your debts are manageable but expensive, consolidation may help; if they are unmanageable, debt review protects you from legal action while you repay.
Questions people ask
›Can I get any loan while under debt review?
No. Section 88 of the National Credit Act bars new credit agreements until a clearance certificate is issued or the review is otherwise ended.
›Is there a lender that helps debt review clients?
Not legally. A registered lender that grants credit to a consumer under debt review is lending recklessly. Offers you see online come from unregistered lenders or lead resellers.
›How long does debt review take?
It depends on your repayment plan, typically three to five years. Settling the restructured debts sooner ends it sooner.
›Can I cancel debt review to get a loan?
Once a court order is granted, withdrawal is only possible in limited circumstances and the flag usually remains. Speak to your debt counsellor before doing anything.
Borrowing money costs money — only borrow what you can afford to repay. Lenders listed here publish a National Credit Regulator registration; matching services are not lenders and are labelled as such. The order of our lists reflects our partner agreements; the star ratings are our own. Costs shown as "legal maximum" are the caps set by the National Credit Act, not a lender's price.