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Debt help in Melbourne

Debt help in Melbourne: compare your options before you choose one.

We don’t have a Melbourne office. Our team is based in Bankstown, NSW, and works with people in Melbourne by phone. We set your options out side by side, with what each one costs and its downsides, so you can compare them properly before you decide.
Answer 9 quick questionsCall 1300 351 008
Debt Negotiators is a fee-based service. Fees, and any commission we receive from a lender, are explained before you decide.
If you’re in Melbourne
There’s no Melbourne office. Everything can be done by phone
Melbourne and Sydney are on the same time all year
Debt and insolvency law is national, so the options are the same as anywhere in Australia
There’s no obligation to go ahead after the call

Compare the options →

LicensedAustralian Credit Licence 390820
Registered with AFSADebt agreement administrator 1403
Since 2009Bankstown-based team
Real reviewsOn ProductReview.com.au
Side by side

Two kinds of debt option

The biggest difference is whether an option is formal insolvency under the Bankruptcy Act. That decides what goes on a public record and who has to agree.
Not formal insolvency
Debt consolidation: a new loan pays out several debts, leaving one repayment.
Good to know: lending criteria apply and some applications are declined. Applying records a credit enquiry, a longer term can cost more overall, and a loan secured on your home puts the home at risk.
Informal arrangements: we negotiate new repayment terms with each creditor.
Good to know: creditors don’t have to agree, interest may keep running, and it may show on your credit report.
Credit file corrections: we review listings that look wrong and ask for a correction where there are grounds to.
Good to know: correct listings can’t be removed, and some requests are refused.
Formal options under the Bankruptcy Act
Debt agreements (Part IX): a binding agreement to repay an affordable amount, run by a registered administrator such as Debt Negotiators.
Good to know: it’s an act of bankruptcy and debt, asset and income limits apply. It’s on the National Personal Insolvency Index for 5 years from when it’s made, or until it’s completed if that’s later.
Personal insolvency agreements: for debts, assets or income above the debt agreement limits, run by a registered trustee.
Good to know: it’s an act of bankruptcy and stays on the index permanently.
Bankruptcy information: we explain how it works and how it compares. We aren’t a trustee.
Good to know: it usually lasts 3 years and 1 day, can affect your assets, income, travel and work, and stays on the index permanently.
Formal options appear on your credit report, usually for up to 5 years, or longer in some cases. See all our debt solutions for more detail.
Weighing it up

Four questions we work through with you

1

What can you realistically pay each week?
Every option starts with your budget. If the repayments wouldn’t fit, the option isn’t right, however good it looks on paper.
2

Would you rather avoid a formal option?
Informal options keep you off the National Personal Insolvency Index, but nothing forces a creditor to agree.
3

Do you own a home or other assets?
It changes the trade-offs. A debt agreement can run up to 5 years instead of 3 if you own your home, and a loan secured on it puts it at risk.
4

Is there a business or ATO debt?
Business debt has its own options: ATO payment arrangements, director penalty notices and small business restructuring with a registered practitioner. A director penalty notice has a 21-day window. Business and ATO debt help.
Looking mainly at a loan?

Our page on debt consolidation in Melbourne covers loans in detail, and our repayment calculator gives a rough idea of what one might cost.

A loan isn’t always the answer. If it wouldn’t leave you better off, we’ll say so and go through the other options.

By phone

How it works from Melbourne

Answer 9 quick questions online, which takes about a minute. A member of our Bankstown team then calls you to go through your answers and explain the options that fit.

Nothing is decided on that call, and there’s no obligation to go ahead. To read up first, try our step-by-step guide to getting on top of debt. We work the same way with people in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

What it costs

Debt Negotiators is a fee-based service. Fees are explained before you decide, and the first conversation costs nothing. If you take out a loan we arrange, we may receive a commission from the lender. We’ll tell you about it before you decide. The rates are in our Credit Guide.

Referrals and payments: We work with a panel of registered trustees and a panel of registered small business restructuring practitioners. If we refer you to one, we may receive a referral payment, and we may charge fees for pre-insolvency work. We’ll tell you about any payment or fee before you decide.

Melbourne debt help questions

Do you have an office in Melbourne?

No. We don’t have a Melbourne office. Our team is based in Bankstown, NSW, and we work with people in Melbourne and across Victoria by phone. If you’d prefer to meet face to face, you can make an appointment at our Bankstown office.

Is a debt agreement different in Victoria?

No. Debt agreements, personal insolvency agreements and bankruptcy all come under the Bankruptcy Act 1966, which is national law. The same rules apply in Victoria as in every other state and territory.

Are you on the same time as Melbourne?

Yes. Melbourne and Sydney are in the same time zone and both use daylight saving, so our working day lines up with yours all year.

What's the difference between an informal arrangement and a debt agreement?

An informal arrangement is negotiated with each creditor. It isn’t a formal insolvency option, but creditors don’t have to agree. A debt agreement is binding under the Bankruptcy Act once a majority of voting creditors, by dollar value, accept it. It’s an act of bankruptcy and is listed on the National Personal Insolvency Index.

What if I own my home?

It changes the trade-offs. A debt agreement usually runs for up to 3 years, or up to 5 years if you own your home. A consolidation loan secured on your home puts the home at risk if repayments are missed. We’ll go through how each option would affect your home before you decide.

How long do formal options stay on my credit file?

Usually up to 5 years, or longer in some cases. Separately, a debt agreement is on the National Personal Insolvency Index for 5 years from when it’s made, or until it’s completed if that’s later, and a personal insolvency agreement stays there permanently.

Can I start without talking to anyone?

Yes. Answer 9 quick questions online first. It takes about a minute and doesn’t involve a credit check. We then call you to go through your options.

Compare your options

Answer 9 quick questions, then we call to go through them side by side.
Answer 9 quick questionsCall 1300 351 008
Debt Negotiators is a fee-based service. The information on this page is general and doesn’t take your circumstances into account. Outcomes depend on your situation, and no outcome is guaranteed. Formal options such as debt agreements and personal insolvency agreements can affect your credit report and your ability to get credit. ACL 390820 · AFSA RDAA 1403.
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