SADA debt assist causes more hassles and headaches than dealing with a bank. STAY AWAY.

You find yourself in a bit of a financial pickle, an as if by fate a debt counsellor phones, promising to help you get back on your feet. They make promises of low monthly instalments and no more hassles from the bank. You feel relief washing over you. It sounds too good to be true, but you are desperate, and so you sign up. My saviour was called South African Debt Assist (SADA24).

The first sign of trouble was when the consultant phoned me a few days later to inform me that the banks did not accept their suggestions for the instalment amount, but that it would have to be double what they promised. I was not happy but agreed, as it was still lower than what I was paying. The second issue came when, almost a year ago, the instalment did not go off via debit order as arranged. I texted the helpline number they gave me but got no response. I emailed the name on my paperwork, and got no response. I phoned the office, but the number was always busy.

I started thinking that maybe I had been ****med. Maybe someone took advantage of my desperation and stole the money I paid as first instalment. But I googled the company (again) and everything seemed above board. I finally got through to their office, where I found out that the person running the Whatsapp helpline was no longer with the company, the case worker had resigned and the bank didn't want to approve a debit order on my account (to this day that makes no sense, because I have initiated a number of debit orders on my account without any problems since).

Then the banks started phoning. I had missed an instalment and my debt review had been terminated. I had to pay as per usual. I received (and continue to receive) phone calls from the bank's collection department almost daily. This was around July 2019. Since then I have been threatening, screaming, swearing, I've been nice, understanding, accommodating. NO RESULTS. After threatening to lay a complaint with the National Credit Regulator, the consultant finally, after months of non-communication, moved to action in September 2019. The bank needs the signed court order to reinstate the debt counselling status.

And like dealing with SADA hasn't been bad enough, I now had to wait for their useless lawyers (known to me only as DP Law associates). Half the time their emails bounce (and yet SADA keeps sending it to the same place). They sent through the court order, after 4 months, but did not stamp it, so the bank rejected it. We are now in March and I am still being harassed by the bank every day. And they have told me that they will continue to do so until they receive the signed court order. They will continue to put a red mark next to my name, and even though they can see funds are being paid, they cannot allocate it to my loan account.

So the bank shrugs, they can do nothing. SADA shurgs, it is out of their hands. The law firm has gone radio silent, and I am the one footing the bill for this useless lot and getting NO results. I cannot describe in words how FED UP I am. My advice is to NEVER use debt counsellors if you can at all prevent it and if you have to, stay FAR FAR away from SADA24. They are useless at communicating, cannot take initiative, cannot get the job done, and are totally apathetic towards their clients because they know that once you sign those papers you are stuck with them for life.

I feel like I have signed my life away thanks to empty promises and now I'll never get it back. If there was a no star option, I would have chosen that.