September 2020 IDM Special Edition

TALK TO YOUR DEBT COUNSELLOR
A CHANGE IN
CONTACT INFO
It is not uncommon for people in South Africa to regularly change
contact info. This includes their physical address, their mobile number
and their email address. Maybe their phone gets lost or damaged and
they simply get a new sim card and number. Perhaps they decide to
move or they change jobs, and thus email addresses. This is not unusual
and normally they let their friends and family know about the changes.
What may present a challenge for people under debt review is when
they move, and the credit providers send important legal documents to
their old address. Because they are not aware of the legal document, it
can escalate to the point where a credit provider goes to court and the
consumer is not there to defend themselves. Next they could be surprised
with a judgment and a huge bill from the credit provider’s attorneys.
Other consumers complain that they are no longer getting regular
distribution updates from their Payment Distribution Agent. It could be
that the emails are going to their old email address or the notification
sms’ has gone to their old mobile number. It might even be unaware that
their Debt Counsellor is desperately trying to reach them with important
information, but you have not updated your contact details with them.