Is your debt counselor registered with the NCR? There are many debt counsellors that are practicing without being registered with the National Credit regulator (NCR) which leave many consumers in a very overwhelming situation. When a debt counselor is not registered, they cannot inform the NCR, and therefore the consumer cannot enjoy legal protection from their creditors. One of the biggest headaches that the NCR has to deal with, is the call center agents that are not registered and don't pass the case onto a registered debt counselor.
In some of the cases, their have been call agents that put the consumer under debt review without the consumers consent and therefore it ends up into a court battle. Consumers should not be forced by a call agent, or any debt counselor to sign anything they feel uncomfortable with. Only once the consumer feels comfortable that the debt review process was explained properly to them and they would like to start the debt review process, a form 16 must then be filled in and signed by the consumer which the debt counselor will submit to the NCR. Once the NCR has received it,then the consumer will be placed under debt review.
Another way the unregistered debt counsellors real consumers in, is they tell them they can rather put them under debt mediation, which does not put the consumer under legal protection. Also, this allows them not to have to go through the NCR. Debt mediation is against the National Credit Act and is not approved by the NCR. Many consumers have found themselves in a very tight spot with their creditors, as their creditors can at anytime still carry out legal procedures against the consumer if they are under debt mediation. However, there are still registered debt counsellors who can put consumers under legal debt mediation.
Sapience Counselling is proudly registered with the NCR (NCRDC 3450) and ensure that their consumers are legally protected from their creditors.