Before DCGsa can issue your Form 19 clearance certificate, we must check that the correct documents and confirmations support your clearance.
This is not only an internal DCGsa preference. It forms part of the legal and regulated clearance process.
A clearance certificate confirms that the accounts included in your debt review have been dealt with correctly. For this reason, DCGsa must make sure that the debts that went under debt review match the documents that support clearance.
The documents and confirmations may include paid-up letters, prescribed debt confirmations, written-off confirmations, settlement confirmations, updated balances, account number confirmations, and bond confirmations where applicable.
The most important document is usually the paid-up letter.
A paid-up letter confirms that the credit provider accepts the account as settled.
A PDA statement is also important because it shows the payment history through the Payment Distribution Agency. However, the PDA statement does not replace the paid-up letter from the credit provider.
DCGsa may need to check the following before issuing your Form 19:
The list of accounts that formed part of your debt review.
The PDA payment history.
Paid-up letters from credit providers.
Whether each paid-up letter matches the correct debt review account.
Whether any account number or reference number changed during the process.
Whether an account was handed over, sold, ceded, transferred or moved to a recovery department.
Whether the correct credit provider, collector, attorney or current account holder gave the confirmation.
Whether any end balance difference remains.
Whether any final distribution still needs to take place.
Whether any lawful outstanding aftercare or process-related amount remains.
Whether any bond account is up to date, where applicable.
Whether the file legally qualifies for clearance.
In some cases, the documents are straightforward. The account numbers match, the paid-up letters arrive quickly, and the file can move to the next step.
In other cases, DCGsa may need more time.
This may happen where a credit provider still shows a balance, where a paid-up letter uses a different reference number, where an account moved to a collector or attorney, or where a bond account still needs confirmation.
DCGsa must also make sure that the clearance certificate can be properly supported when submitted through the relevant clearance process used between debt counsellors, the National Credit Regulator, credit bureaus and other relevant systems.
If the documents do not match the accounts correctly, the clearance may be queried, rejected or flagged.
This is why DCGsa cannot issue a Form 19 only because the PDA statement shows a low balance, or because a consumer believes the accounts are finished.
DCGsa must first confirm that the file is ready and properly supported.
If you receive any paid-up letter, settlement confirmation, prescribed debt confirmation, written-off letter, balance confirmation, or account communication directly from a credit provider, please send it to DCGsa as soon as possible.
This may help us verify your file faster.
In simple terms: DCGsa must check the accounts, paid-up letters, final balances, account numbers, PDA history, bond status where applicable, and all supporting documents before issuing your Form 19 clearance certificate. This protects your clearance and helps prevent future disputes.