Your starting point
Australia · Debt and financial hardship
Protect essentials. Check the claim. Act early.
Choose what is happening now. This guide helps you separate hardship, collection, disputed debt and formal legal action—and find the right free pathway.
Reviewed: 18 September 2026Based on current Australian Government and Victorian dispute-resolution guidance. Credit, utility, tax, fine and court debts can follow different rules.
Six rules worth knowing.
These are safe starting points, not a decision about whether a debt is enforceable. Do not provide sensitive identity or banking details until you have independently verified who is contacting you.
Ask early and in writing.
A credit provider must consider a hardship request. Explain what changed, what you can afford and when you expect the situation to change.
Do not promise what you cannot pay.
Protect essential living costs first. Offer only an amount you can sustain and ask for any agreement in writing.
Collection has boundaries.
Collectors may seek payment, but must not harass, bully, mislead, trespass or disclose the debt to others without permission.
Ask how the balance was calculated.
If the debt or amount is unclear, request the contract and an itemised statement showing principal, interest, fees, payments and the current balance.
Get legal help immediately.
A court claim is different from a collection letter. Response periods depend on the document and service date; ignoring it can lead to judgment and enforcement.
Start with a financial counsellor.
Financial counsellors are free, independent and confidential. Be cautious of paid debt-management or “credit repair” services.
Free supportFINANCIAL COUNSELLING FINANCIAL COMPLAINTS VICTORIAN UTILITIES
Use the pathway that fits.
National Debt Helpline
Free, confidential help to understand options, prepare a budget and negotiate with creditors.
1800 007 007AFCA
Complain to the provider first. If it is not resolved, AFCA offers free and independent financial dispute resolution.
Make a complaint ↗EWOV
For unresolved complaints about Victorian electricity, gas or water providers, including payment difficulty and disconnection.
Start a complaint ↗Prepare a private one-page summary.
Use the Issue Summary Builder to organise dates, documents, what you have asked for and the outcome you want. It works in your browser; do not enter names, account numbers, addresses or health information.
Official and specialist sources