Debt Mediation
An informal negotiation with your creditors, outside the formal debt review process, to work toward a repayment arrangement you can manage.
What it is
Debt mediation is an informal negotiation process. Rather than going through the formal, NCR-regulated debt review process, a mediator engages directly with your creditors to try to agree on revised repayment terms — for example, adjusted instalments or a repayment period.
Because it sits outside the National Credit Act’s formal debt review framework, mediation doesn’t carry the same legal structure, court involvement or statutory protections as debt review.
Who may benefit
Mediation can suit people who are behind on payments or want to renegotiate terms, but who either don’t meet the criteria for formal debt review, prefer to avoid a debt review flag on their credit record while they attempt an informal arrangement, or have only one or two accounts where a direct conversation with the creditor may be enough.
What the assessment involves
We look at your income, expenses and the specific accounts you want to address, then contact the relevant creditors to explore what arrangement might be workable for both sides.
What the next step looks like
If a creditor agrees to revised terms, that arrangement is confirmed directly with them. Mediation is arrangement-by-arrangement — there’s no single restructured plan covering all your debts the way there is under formal debt review.
Important limitations
- Mediation does not carry the legal protection from summons or legal action that formal debt review provides. A creditor can choose to proceed with legal action while mediation is under way.
- Creditors are under no obligation to accept a mediated proposal — each one decides for itself.
- An agreed arrangement isn’t automatically a court order, so it relies on both sides continuing to honour it.
- Missed or late payments during mediation can still affect your credit record.
- Mediation isn’t a substitute for formal debt review if you’re genuinely over-indebted across multiple accounts — in that case, debt review may be more appropriate.
Not sure this is the right fit?
If your repayments are unmanageable across several accounts, formal debt review may offer stronger protection. If you’re already under debt review, see debt review removal instead.
Start with a clear picture of your budget
The calculator takes a few minutes and doesn’t require any contact details.
Related guides
Debt mediation: read more
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