Understand your record before you try to fix it.
Different entries on a credit profile come off in completely different ways. A default needs creditor confirmation; a judgment needs rescission through a court. Knowing which you have is the whole job.
What does it mean to have a poor ITC credit record?
If you have missed a payment to a creditor, made a late payment, or been flagged at ITC because of a repayment issue, that record stays against your name until it is lawfully dealt with. ITC clearance refers to correcting that credit history through the proper channels — not to deleting accurate information on request.
Having a poor credit record means other creditors are hesitant to grant you credit, because the record suggests you are not dependable on repayments. Often that is not the case — a payment was missed for personal reasons and the listing remained.
A registered debt counsellor
Why ITC clearance matters
A poor credit record can be a difficult obstacle to overcome without help. It affects far more than loan applications: landlords, service providers and some employers use credit information when deciding whether to approve an application.
If nothing is done, the record simply remains and your situation remains the same. What can be corrected, and how, depends on what is actually on your profile.
What is usually on a credit profile
- Default listings. A creditor lists you as a defaulter when repayment terms are repeatedly not met. The listing stays until the account is brought up to date or settled, and removal requires confirmation from the creditor to the bureaus.
- Judgments. A court decision granted when a creditor sues for non-payment. Judgments are more serious than defaults: paying the judgment does not remove it, because it must be rescinded through the court that granted it.
- Debt review flags. These do not fall away automatically when repayments finish. The clearance certificate route has to be completed before the status is lifted.
- Payment profile and enquiry history. Retention periods for these categories are prescribed by Regulation 17 under the National Credit Act.
How NDCsa Africa assists with ITC clearance
We start by extracting your current credit report and going through each listing with you, so you can see exactly what is recorded and what each entry means. From there we set out which items can lawfully be corrected, which require creditor confirmation, and which need a court process.
Where an account needs to be brought up to date or settled, we advise on that and negotiate with the creditor to have the listing updated at the bureau once the requirements are met.
What we will not do
We will not offer to delete accurate information from a credit bureau, and no reputable provider should. Where a listing is correct and current, the route is to resolve the underlying account and have the record updated properly — not to have it erased.
Not sure which route applies?
Share what you know and the team will confirm your status and the evidence you still need. No cost, no obligation.
Confirm your status first. The assessment is free.
ITC clearance questions
ITC clearance refers to correcting adverse information on your credit record through the proper channels — settling or updating the underlying accounts, obtaining creditor confirmation, and where applicable pursuing rescission of a judgment through the court that granted it.
No. Paying a judgment does not remove it. The judgment must be rescinded through the court that issued it, using the prescribed legal procedure. Until that is completed the listing remains visible even though the account is paid.
A default remains until the account is brought up to date or settled and the creditor confirms the position to the credit bureaus. Removal is not automatic when the debt is paid — the confirmation has to be submitted.
It is worth resolving your record before you leave. If a listing is left unresolved, creditors can still pursue a judgment against your name, and credit applications in a new country may be assessed against your South African credit history.
Start by confirming your status.
Request a free initial assessment before choosing or paying for a removal route. Outcomes and timeframes depend on your own records and legal position.