What debt review costs — the fees a counsellor may and may not charge

You've just received a quote from a debt counsellor. It says R2,500 or R3,000, and your stomach drops — that's money you don't have. Then you get another quote half that price. Before you assume the cheaper one is the better deal, you need to know what actually goes into a debt counsellor's fees and why two quotes can look so different on paper but cost you very differently over time.

Debt review isn't a flat transaction. A counsellor's charges depend on what they do, how long it takes, and critically, what they're legally allowed to charge. The National Credit Regulator sets rules about this, but within those rules there's real variation — not just in price, but in what you're actually paying for.

What you're paying for (and what adds up)

When a counsellor quotes you a fee, they're typically covering application and registration work: gathering your financial documents, calculating your debt-to-income ratio, drafting the application to the court, and lodging it. Some counsellors break this into stages — an initial assessment fee, then application fees, then (sometimes) fees for monitoring or amendments along the way. Others bundle it into one number.

Here's where it gets slippery. A low quote might exclude things that will land on your bill later: fees for credit bureau checks, bank statement analysis, correspondence with creditors before your application even goes in, or the cost of restructuring your repayment plan if your first proposal gets rejected. A seemingly cheap counsellor sometimes quotes only the court application fee, then adds "admin" or "processing" charges once you've committed.

Some counsellors also offer ancillary services — budgeting apps, financial literacy sessions, or post-review monitoring — and bundle or add these to the core fee. If you don't need or want them, you're paying for something that's solving someone else's problem, not yours.

The most honest counsellors itemise what each step costs and why. They'll tell you upfront if your application is straightforward (you have regular employment, clear debt, no complications) or complex (you're self-employed, you have tax debt, you're being pursued by multiple creditors). Straightforward cases cost less. A low quote for a complex situation should trigger scepticism.

Spotting what's missing from the price

When comparing quotes, ask each counsellor to explain not just the total, but every component. Do they charge per application, or per debt, or both? If your application needs to go back to court for amendment, who pays? If a creditor disputes the proposal or you need to renegotiate, is that covered or does it cost extra?

Also ask what happens if your application is rejected or delayed. Some counsellors absorb that cost and resubmit for free; others charge again. Some charge a deposit upfront and apply it to the final fee; others take the deposit and add the full fee on top. Neither is inherently wrong, but you need to know the difference.

The cheapest quote isn't necessarily a bargain — it might just be incomplete. The most expensive one isn't necessarily thorough either; some counsellors simply charge more and offer nothing extra to justify it. What matters is clarity: can the counsellor itemise their charges and explain the value of each one? Do they charge in line with what you're actually getting, or are they front-loading the cost?

A solid check: ask whether they're registered with the NCR and what their fee structure is in writing. Ask how many applications they've handled and what their average timeline is. Ask what their fee would be if your application gets rejected first time. A counsellor who hesitates or gives vague answers is already wasting your money.

When you're comparing counsellors on Strove, you can request detailed quotes from multiple verified providers and see their credentials in one place. Take the time to read the fine print and ask clarifying questions before you hand over cash or sign anything. The fee itself matters, but what it actually covers matters more.