Residential Property Protection

Can You Keep Your House Under Debt Review?

In most cases, yes. A primary residential home loan can be included within your debt-review repayment structure. By substantially reducing instalments on unsecured credit cards and personal loans, debt review frees up essential disposable income to ensure you can maintain your mortgage repayments and prevent foreclosure or a sale in execution.

By Carolina Guevara Harris (NCRDC3152)•Updated for 2025

How Mortgage Bonds Are Handled During Debt Review

A home loan represents the largest financial commitment for most South African families. If bond instalments fall into arrears, mortgage lenders will initiate legal proceedings to obtain a default judgment and have the property declared executable.

Under debt counselling, your registered debt counsellor conducts an objective affordability review. Because high-interest unsecured debts (clothing accounts, credit cards, unsecured loans) are heavily restructured and interest rates negotiated down, your household cash flow is stabilized, allowing you to service your primary bond repayment reliably through the PDA.

Crucial Rule: Clearance Before the 20-Year Bond Ends

Many homeowners mistakenly believe they must remain under debt review for 20 years until their entire home loan is paid off. Under Section 71(1)(b) of the National Credit Act, this is not the case!

Statutory Rule for Home Loan Clearance

As soon as all your unsecured credit facilities and vehicle loans are paid in full, and your home loan payments are fully up-to-date under the restructuring agreement, your debt counsellor can issue your Form 19 Clearance Certificate. You exit debt review and continue paying your normal bond as an ordinary homeowner.

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