The Debt Review Awards

The Annual Debt Review Awards

The Debt Review Awards is an industry Awards Program which is specific to the Debt Counselling and Debt Review Industry. All NCR Registered Debt Review Industry Parties are invited to participate and are in line to be considered for Awards.

Each year the Debt Review Awards organizers call on the industry to share their feedback on the various Payment Distribution Agencies, close to 1700 active registered Debt Counsellors and over 8300 registered credit providers. With the use of online software, the industry is able to pool their knowledge and experience to reflect the current level of performance of various industry role players.

For more information on the Debt Review Awards process: Click Here

Who Can Win Awards?

Debt Counsellors

Over several months the industry is invited to apply their industry knowledge and expertise as they consider possible candidates and narrow the field to a shortlist of nominees using online software. The nominees are then considered in more detail and winners in the following 5 categories are announced during the Debt Review Awards Show:

Boutique Debt Counsellor

Description*:

1 or more Debt Counsellors in the practice

1 Office

Less than 100 clients

 

Small Debt Counsellor

Description*:

1 or more Debt Counsellors in the practice

1 Office

100 – 300 clients

Medium Debt Counsellor

Description*:

1 or More Debt Counsellors

1 Office

300 to 1000 clients

 

Large Debt Counselling Practice

Description*:

More than 1000 clients

More than one Debt Counsellor in the practice

Regional or National operation

 

National Debt Counselling Practice

Description*:
Close to or more than 4000 clients

More than one Debt Counsellor in the practice

National operation

Single or Multiple branches

 

National + Debt Counselling Practice

Description*:
Close to or more than 10 000 clients

More than one Debt Counsellor in the practice

National operation

Single or Multiple branches

 

* Note: Individual operations are reviewed in terms of their own merits and are categorised in the most appropriate category based on the running of their practice. The criteria that best fits the debt counsellor’s operation is used. The description given is thus a “general” description. Not each point mentioned might apply to every company in the category.

 

DC CRITERIA

Debt Counsellors are evaluated on the following criteria:

Collection ratios, Client retention, Proposal Quality, Query resolution, Communication and Staff Knowledge, Adherence to timelines, Consumer education, Balancing the needs & rights of the consumer and credit provider, Court & NCT Activity etc.

 

Payment Distribution Agencies

Payment Distribution Agencies handle the money in the debt review process. They receive a single payment from consumers and split and distribute the payment in accord with the consumer’s debt counsellors plan (and granted court order) each month. Over the years 5 PDAs have operated with service level agreements with the NCR. At present firms are busy registering with the National Credit Regulator because of changes to the NCA. After the passing of the National Credit Amendment Act 2014 in March 2015, PDAs are now embedded in SA Law. All firms wishing to distribute funds for consumers have registered or are applying. Only firms with existing service level agreements or completed registration will be considered in this year’s awards process.
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* No PDA staff member participates in the peer review in this category.

PDA CRITERIA

PDAs are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Collection and Payment capacity and accuracy, Consumer/CP/DC support, Industry support, Query resolution, industry engagement and participation, promotion of DC businesses and the debt review industry,  usability of software, adaptability of software, payment distribution.

 

Credit Providers

Credit providers are divided into the following categories:

Unsecured Credit:

  • Short-Term Credit Provider
  • Retail Finance Credit Provider
  • Large Non-Bank Credit Provider
  • Bank (Unsecured)

Secured Credit:

  • Vehicle Finance (VAF)
  • Bank (Secured Credit – Bonds)

Highest Rated Credit Provider Debt Review Department

NEW: This year we will also be able to answer which debt review department was the highest rated overall.

* No Credit Provider staff member participates in the peer review in this category. It is thus not possible for Credit Providers to award prizes to their own companies.

 

Credit Provider CRITERIA

CPs are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Adherence to industry timelines, Cancellation of Debit Orders, Client treatment, Query resolution, documentation provision, CoB timelines, Counter Proposal frequency and necessity, frivolous legal activity, enactment of court orders, Staff training, Communication and industry support etc.

 

Certificates of Recognition | Legal

Attorneys who regularly represent debt counsellors and credit providers are also recognised during the Awards process. The results of new attorney-specific peer reviews will be announced on the day of the Gala and certificates of recognition awarded to one attorney who acts on behalf of debt counsellors and one attorney who acts on behalf of credit providers. The process is still new and we look forward to refining it as time goes by. Once we have done so we hope to be able to offer Awards in this category.

Attorney CRITERIA

Attorneys are evaluated based on the following criteria:

Cooperation, Reasonableness, Integrity, and Reliability.

 

Nousheen Pore Award

There is also a new Award this year, named after Nousheen Pore who was well known for her efforts in regard to the legal aspect of debt review. The Award recognises an individual who works anywhere within the legal side of the debt review process (excluding Magistrates, Judges and Clerks of the Court). The Awards is decided based on industry nominations and a small panel of industry experts who review the nominations vs criteria.

 

 

Auditing the Industry Peer Review Process

Moore_Accounting mainAuditing of the process is done by Moore SA Auditors.