Stop wasting time dealing with frustrating subscription companies.

No. DebitGuard is an independent private consumer account, billing and dispute-support platform. We are not a government body, regulator, ombudsman, law firm, or debt counsellor.

Not always. Under the Consumer Protection Act, consumers generally have the right to cancel a fixed-term contract early. However, a company may still charge a reasonable cancellation penalty depending on the contract and circumstances.

The problem is that many consumers are charged excessive or unfair cancellation fees that were not properly explained before signing the contract. In some cases, consumers are also told they cannot cancel unless they first pay large amounts upfront, even where the charges may be disputed.

DebitGuard helps consumers better understand whether the cancellation charges appear reasonable, whether the contract terms were properly disclosed, what supporting information may be needed, and what support or escalation options may be available if the consumer believes the charges are unfair.

Timeframes vary depending on the company involved, the complexity of the matter, and how quickly the company responds.

Some cancellation, billing or account-support matters are resolved quickly, while more complex disputes or recovery matters may require follow-ups or escalation.

You can contact your bank or use your banking app to stop or reverse post-cancellation debit orders. Most banks allow you to place a stop instruction for a small fee and request a reversal, which typically costs between R50 and R134 depending on how old the transaction is. Acting quickly improves your chances of recovering your money.

However, this is often not a permanent solution. In many cases, the debit mandate remains active with the company, and some companies change the debit reference, which results in continued post-cancellation debits even after a stop instruction.

Some consumers choose to close their bank account and move to a new one to prevent further debits. While this can stop the debit orders from going through, it does not cancel the agreement with the company. The company will continue to bill you and request payment, and unresolved balances can lead to further action, including being blacklisted (negative credit listing).

To fully resolve the issue and prevent ongoing risks, the underlying matter must still be addressed directly with the company.

DebitGuard uses your information only for account, billing and support-related purposes authorised by you. Uploaded documents and personal information are stored securely with restricted access controls. Where necessary, certain information may be shared with the company involved only for purposes directly related to assisting with your matter.

DebitGuard may also use non-personal or anonymised data to help improve its Consumer Account & Billing Risk Intelligence Platform. The purpose of the platform is to identify recurring account, billing and dispute patterns, improve transparency within subscription-based industries, and help consumers better understand potential risks before signing long-term contracts. As more consumers request support, the platform becomes more meaningful and can help identify broader patterns of recurring consumer harm across industries.