Credit Health Knowledge Base
Your complete resource for mastering your credit in South Africa.
Our experts demystify your credit report, explaining complex terms and identifying key problem areas.
Learn the fundamentals of a credit report and why it is a crucial financial document for every South African consumer.
A step-by-step guide on how to access your credit report, which is the first step before sending it to us for analysis.
Credit reports use confusing jargon. Our experts explain key terms like defaults, judgments, and prescribed debt.
An inside look at how credit bureaus operate and how our experts interact with them to successfully resolve your disputes.
Learn the difference between hard and soft enquiries and how they can impact your creditworthiness in South Africa.
They are related but different. Understand the specific roles of your credit report and your credit score.
Learn what personal data is collected and how it is used to build your credit profile.
A deep dive into negative listings like defaults and judgments and their direct impact on your financial standing.
New to credit? Learn what a "thin file" is and the first steps to building a positive credit history in South Africa.
Discover the proven, expert-led strategies our team uses to systematically increase your credit score.
Find out what credit score range is considered good, and how our service is designed to get you there.
Our specialists employ proven strategies to systematically enhance your credit score.
Negative listings have expiry dates, but you don't have to wait. Learn how our service can remove them sooner.
We provide a deep dive into your credit utilization and create a strategy to manage it for maximum score improvement.
Go beyond the basics and understand the specific weights and interactions of factors influencing your credit score.
Does checking your score lower it? Does income affect your score? We bust the most common credit score myths.
Learn which tools to use and what key changes to look for when monitoring your credit score over time.
Understand the difference between "good debt" and "bad debt" and how mortgages, car loans, and credit cards affect your score differently.
You have your clearance certificate - now what? A guide to responsibly re-entering the credit market.
Just got your first credit card? Follow these essential tips to use it wisely and build a positive credit history from day one.
Learn about our professional process for finding and legally disputing errors on your credit report to ensure success.
Our step-by-step expert process for identifying, documenting, and winning disputes with South African credit bureaus.
Our legal experts understand the nuances of the Prescription Act and have a proven track record of removing this illegal debt from credit reports.
You’ve paid a default, but it’s still harming your score. Our service ensures it gets fully removed.
A judgment is the most damaging credit listing. Our legal team specializes in the court process to have it removed.
Your credit report is a key tool in fighting fraud. Learn the warning signs of identity theft and what to do if you see them.
A practical checklist of the documents you need to successfully dispute different types of credit report errors.
From logging the dispute to getting a resolution, understand the 20-business-day timeline and what happens at each stage.
Your dispute was unsuccessful. Learn about the next steps, including escalating your case to the Credit Ombud.
A detailed list of the most frequent mistakes found on South African credit reports and how to spot them.
An incorrect judgment or administration order can be devastating. Learn the specific steps to challenge and remove false public records.
Explore the legal strategies and formal processes our specialists use to manage overwhelming debt.
Debt review is a powerful tool, but is it right for you? Our experts explain the process and its implications.
These are two vastly different legal solutions for debt. Our experts explain the pros and cons to help you understand the options.
You’ve finished debt review. Our service handles the crucial final step: obtaining the Clearance Certificate to restore your credit record.
Harassing calls? Threats? Once you are our client, we handle all communication with debt collectors, protecting you from illegal tactics.
Closing old accounts can sometimes hurt your credit score. Learn how to do it correctly to minimize any negative impact.
Understand the short-term and long-term effects of debt review on your credit score and financial future.
A detailed walkthrough of the debt counselling (debt review) journey, from application to clearance.
Debt review is not the only option. Explore other strategies like debt consolidation loans and negotiating with creditors directly.
Understand the legal complexities and processes involved if you want to voluntarily withdraw from the debt review process.
Learn how to verify if a debt counsellor is registered with the NCR and avoid scams that could worsen your situation.
Learn the role of the PDA in the debt review process and how they ensure your payments reach your creditors.
Navigating a divorce is tough. Learn how joint debts and financial separation can affect your credit report and what steps to take to protect yourself.
Understand the laws that protect you, and how our experts leverage them to fight on your behalf.
The NCA is your most powerful shield. Our experts are masters of the NCA and use it to defend your rights as a borrower.
When a credit bureau or provider is unreasonable, we escalate your case to the Credit Ombud. Learn how we manage this process.
The Prescription Act can extinguish your debt. Our legal experts use it to protect you from unlawful collection and clean your credit report.
Explore the concept of credit information amnesty and how past and future regulations affect the information on your credit report.
Learn what a garnishee order is, how it's obtained, and what your rights are if one is issued against you.
An in-depth look at the NCR, its functions, and how it works to protect consumers in the credit market.
What constitutes reckless lending under the NCA, and what are your rights if you have been a victim of it?
The NCA guarantees that credit agreements must be easy to understand. Learn what this means for you.
Explore how the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and National Credit Act (NCA) intersect to protect you.
Under the NCA, lenders must check if you can afford a loan. Learn how these assessments work and what they check for.
A breakdown of the different types of interest (fixed, variable) and the maximum fees lenders can charge you under the NCA.