I Cancelled Debt Review But There’s Still a Flag on My Name

This is one of the most common statements we hear from clients who decided to cancel debt review and go back to paying their creditors directly.

Let’s unpack why the flag is still there — and the only two ways it can be removed.

Understanding the Debt Review Flag

When you sign up for debt review, you are entering into a legal process governed by the National Credit Act (NCA).

The minute you sign the debt review agreement, your debt counsellor sends an instruction to the credit bureaus to place a debt review flag on your credit profile.

This flag serves an important purpose — it protects you from further legal action by your creditors and helps you keep essential assets like your home or vehicle while paying reduced monthly instalments.

However, once the flag is on your profile, it remains there until the debt review process is officially completed.

The Intended Way to Remove the Flag

Under normal circumstances, the flag will only be removed after all unsecured credit has been fully paid off.

Once that milestone is reached, your debt counsellor issues a Debt Clearance Certificate.
You can then submit this certificate to the credit bureaus to remove the flag from your credit profile.

That is the way the debt review system was designed to work.

Why Cancelling Debt Review Doesn’t Automatically Remove the Flag

Unfortunately, many people don’t realise that simply cancelling debt review doesn’t remove the flag.

You may decide to stop working with your debt counsellor or to pay your creditors directly — but the flag remains in place, because the process is legal in nature.

The credit bureaus cannot remove the debt review status without official documentation proving that you are no longer under debt review.

This is why so many people who “cancelled” the process still find themselves blocked from getting loans, credit cards, or even cellphone contracts.

How to Legally Remove the Flag

There are only two ways the debt review flag can be removed:

Debt Clearance Certificate – Issued by your debt counsellor after all your debt is paid in full.
Debt Review Removal (Rescission Order) – If you no longer wish to remain under debt review and have the affordability to manage your finances independently, you can apply through a legal team to have your debt review order rescinded in court.

Debt review removal is a legal process that involves an attorney submitting an application to the court to have your order cancelled. Once approved, your status can be updated with the credit bureaus, and the flag will be removed.

Because it’s a legal process, there are fees involved, but these will depend on your case and are only disclosed once you’ve taken your free assessment.

Why Timing Matters

Debt review removal can only be done before your case status reaches “D4.”

Once your case has reached this point, the order can no longer be removed — and you’ll need to complete the full debt review process before qualifying for a clearance certificate.

That’s why time is critical. You’re not in control of how your debt review status is updated in the background, so delaying your assessment could limit your options.