How Much Does Debt Review Removal Cost?
Cost is the first question everyone asks about debt review removal - and the answer depends entirely on which of the two legal routes applies to you. Here is the honest breakdown, including the price signals that should make you suspicious.
Route 1: You Have Paid Up Your Debts
If every debt in your restructured plan is settled (your home loan excluded, provided it was not in arrears), you qualify for a clearance certificate - Form 19 - issued by a registered debt counsellor. Issuing the certificate is often part of the counsellor's existing service, though administrative fees are common, and industry pricing for a managed paid-up removal typically runs in the low thousands of rands. The bureaus must then update your profile, generally within 21 business days of receiving the certificate.
Route 2: Court-Based Removal
If you entered debt review but were never declared over-indebted by a court, or your financial position has materially improved, the flag can be removed through a court application. Because attorneys and court time are involved, this route costs more - industry fees commonly range from around R3 000 to upwards of R8 000, climbing further for complex cases such as marriages in community of property, where both spouses' profiles carry the flag.
What the Price Should Buy
A legitimate fee covers verification of your paid-up status or improved circumstances, the certificate or court order itself, submission to all credit bureaus, and confirmation that every bureau has actually updated your record - the step most often skipped. Our removal service handles the chain end to end.
Red Flags on Pricing
"Free removal" does not exist - there are always costs. Equally, anyone promising to delete the flag "overnight" or without your debts being settled is selling something unlawful. Removal is only legal once you genuinely qualify, and shortcuts have a way of costing far more later.
Not sure which route fits your situation? Check your debt review status first, then apply online for an honest assessment of what your removal would involve.