Debt collector must show you a full statement of account, credit ombud says
Credit ombud Nicky Lala Mohan says his office offers free help with credit deals with nonbank credit providers‚ such as clothing and furniture retailers and microlenders
If you get a demand from any form of money lender or debt collector‚ you have the right to insist on a full statement of account‚ showing how that amount was arrived at. The office of credit ombud Nicky Lala Mohan has made public one of its recent cases to highlight the service it offers and drive home the "you have a right to ask for a statement" message. Nomeko Thilizi* lodged a complaint with the credit ombud‚ asking whether the interest he was being charged on a R3‚000 loan over three months was correct. He had paid three instalments when he lost his job and had asked for a settlement balance. He was told he owed R543‚ due on July 31 2015‚ and he then paid the amount on time. But when he got his final statement‚ that payment did not reflect and then began the harassing phone calls for further payment. "The credit provider was adamant that the final payment hadn’t been received‚" Mohan’s office said. Acting as a mediator‚ the ombud asked Thilizi to produce proof of payment‚ and t...
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