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Lockdown Days Not To Be Counted As Business Days

The Debt Review industry has many required timelines which consumers, credit providers, attorneys and Debt Counsellors have to stick to. The question recently arose as to whether the 21 days spent in lockdown will count as normal business days or not?

This is especially important since only a few organisations and Debt Counselling practices are able to run at full steam during the lockdown. This could push debt review applications and court matters beyond the required timelines. If these days were considered normal business days some unscrupulous credit providers may take the opportunity to try to remove themselves from a consumers debt review by means of a Section 86(10) notice. This would be counterproductive and would lead to hundreds of unnecessary 86(11) applications by consumers defending these matters at courts later.

‘the days of the lockdown will not be considered “normal” business days’

In an industry circular, the National Credit Regulator (NCR) has announced that for legal and debt review purposes the days of the lockdown will not be considered “normal” business days. This will provide some relief to the industry and consumers.

The National Credit Regulator will not be open for business during the lockdown and most staff will be out of communication. Some key individuals will be able to receive emails.