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ChecklistDebt CollectionMedium
Debt Letter of Demand Response Checklist
Prepare after receiving a debt letter of demand by organising the demand, creditor details, contract, statements, payment proof, prescription questions, credit-law issues, affordability, and response-deadline questions.
Time to prepare1-3 hours
Before you contact a lawyer
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Before the consultation
0/4 completedDuring the consultation
0/3 completedAfterwards
0/3 completedWhen It Applies
You received a letter of demand, attorney letter, payment demand, section 129-style notice, or debt-collection message.
You need to prepare records before speaking to a debt-collection, credit-law, or litigation lawyer.
Not For
- Drafting a legal response, admitting liability, calculating prescription, ignoring a summons, or making payment arrangements without understanding the consequences.
Documents
- Demand letter
- Envelope or delivery proof
- Contract
- Statements
- Payment proof
- Settlement offers
- Credit records
- Debt review records
- Messages
- Affordability notes
- Question list
Timeline
- Same day: identify creditor, amount, deadline, and threatened step.
- Before consultation: collect demand, account, payment, and dispute records.
- During consultation: confirm deadline, proof request, and response risk.
- Afterwards: track replies and watch for summons separately.
Tips
- Do not ignore a demand just because it is not a summons.
- Verify payment details before paying.
- Keep the full demand and delivery proof.
- Ask before making admissions or small payments where prescription may be relevant.
Warning Signs
- Summons, judgment, attachment, blacklisting, repossession, or section 129 wording is mentioned.
- You do not recognise the creditor or account.
- The last payment date is old or disputed.
- You are pressured to pay immediately into unfamiliar account details.
Official sources
- National Credit RegulatorCredit-law and consumer-credit context.
- National Credit Act 34 of 2005Credit-agreement, debt-review, and consumer-credit context.
- Department of Justice Magistrates' Courts formsSummons and court-document escalation context.
- Legal Practice Council list of legal practitionersLegal-practitioner discovery and verification context.
This checklist is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.
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