Questions to ask before letting someone negotiate for you

Handing someone the keys to negotiate with your creditors means putting your financial breathing room in their hands. They'll be speaking on your behalf, making offers, accepting terms—decisions that reshape your repayment timeline and what you actually owe. The trade-off is real: a skilled negotiator can unlock relief you might not find alone, but a careless or dishonest one can lock you into a worse deal than you'd have struck yourself. Asking the right questions upfront isn't paranoia; it's the difference between a lifeline and a trap.

What's your track record with debts like mine?

This is your first filter. You want specifics about their experience with your type of creditor—banks, retailers, service providers, SARS—and the size of debt. A good answer sounds like: "I've settled 40-odd unsecured debts in the R50k–R200k range with Standard Bank and FNB over the last three years. The median settlement was around 65% of the original balance." That's real, defensible, measurable.

An evasive answer sounds like: "Oh, we handle everything" or "Thousands of happy clients" or "You don't need to worry, we always get results." Those are red flags. You need to hear actual numbers—how many cases, what kinds of creditors, what percentage were settled versus abandoned. If they balk at being specific, walk.

Why it matters: Creditors have different negotiating cultures. A person who's great at dealing with a retail chain might have no sway with a bank's legal team. And if they've never dealt with your creditor before, they're learning on your dime.

How will you keep me in the loop, and what happens if we disagree?

Negotiation isn't a black box. You need to know whether they'll send you copies of all correspondence, what their communication timeline is (daily? weekly?), and how they handle moments when your interests diverge from their recommendation. A solid answer: "You get a copy of every letter and settlement offer within 48 hours. If you don't want to accept an offer I think is good, that's your call—I'll advise why I think you should, then we move on."

An evasive answer: "We'll handle it and keep you updated" or "Don't worry, we know what's best" or "We'll only contact you when it's done." Anyone who sidesteps the disagreement question is signalling they might steamroll you. That's a deal-breaker.

Why it matters: You're still the debtor. You're the one living with the consequences of whatever gets agreed. The negotiator is a tool, not a decision-maker. If they've got ego invested in their recommendations or they're opaque about what's happening, you lose visibility over your own situation.

What's your fee structure, and when do I pay?

Before you sign anything, you need to understand exactly how money changes hands. Are they taking a cut of what they save you? A flat fee? A monthly retainer? Do they get paid upfront, on settlement, or in instalments? Each model creates a different incentive.

A clear answer might be: "We charge 15% of the amount settled. You pay once the creditor confirms the new terms in writing, not before." That's clean—you only pay if they deliver, and the fee is transparent.

An evasive or alarming answer:

• "Just pay what you can afford now and the rest later"
• "We'll take a percentage, but we'll let you know the exact number once we start"
• "Everyone pays differently—we'll sort it out"
• Asking for money upfront with vague promises of "results"

These suggest either poor systems or the possibility that they're more interested in extracting cash from you than solving the debt.

Why it matters: Perverse incentives destroy trust. If someone's paid regardless of outcome, they might rush a settlement that favours them. If they're paid upfront, they have no reason to keep fighting. If the fee structure is fuzzy, you won't know if you're being fair-dealt until it's too late.

The conversation you're having here isn't a formality—it's your due diligence. A negotiator worth hiring will welcome these questions. If they get defensive or vague, that tells you everything you need to know. Strove lists debt-counselling providers with verifiable reviews and fee transparency, so you can compare answers across actual practitioners before you commit.