If the original creditor reviews your dispute and does not accept it — meaning they maintain that the debt is owed as claimed — we will write to you with their position and the basis for it. You are not required to simply accept that outcome.
Your options if you remain dissatisfied:
- Provide further evidence — if you have additional documents or information that were not included in the original dispute, you can submit them and ask for the matter to be reviewed again.
- Escalate to an external body — you can take the dispute to an independent organisation for a free, external review. See the article on external dispute resolution bodies for the options available to you.
- Seek independent advice — a free financial counsellor through the National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007) can help you understand your position, and community legal centres can provide free legal advice on debt matters.
- Formal legal proceedings — if you believe the debt is genuinely not owed and you cannot resolve it through the above channels, you may have the option of seeking a court determination. Legal advice is recommended before taking this step.
We will provide you with the information you need to escalate, including referral details for relevant external bodies, as part of our response to you.
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