ConsumerLaws Payment Relief Preparation Checklist

Use this checklist to organise your information before and after contacting your lender.

Tick the items relevant to your circumstances.

Not every item will apply to every consumer or agreement.

Section A — Account

Section B — Agreement

Credit agreement available, if retained
Quotation/pre-agreement documentation available, where relevant
Interest/payment terms understood sufficiently for discussion
Balloon/residual identified where relevant
Insurance policy identified where relevant
Previous variation/arrangement letters included

Section C — Income

Reliable monthly income calculated
Recent income evidence available
Variable income separated from guaranteed income
Household income contributions identified
Income reduction quantified

Section D — Expenses

Essential household expenses listed
Expenses are realistic rather than artificially low
Vehicle/home ownership costs included where relevant
Other unavoidable obligations included
Discretionary spending reviewed separately

Section E — Other Debt

Other monthly credit commitments listed
Vehicle-finance payment included
Bond payment included
Loans included
Credit cards included
Overdraft/store/revolving credit included
No debt intentionally hidden from own affordability calculation

Section F — Cause of Difficulty

Main cause identified
Start date identified
Expected end/recovery date identified
Supporting evidence available where relevant
Insurance possibility checked where relevant
Temporary versus ongoing pattern considered

Section G — Proposed Payment

Normal instalment recorded
Current affordable amount calculated
Proposed temporary amount calculated
Proposal tested for more than one month
Catch-up consequence considered
Proposal does not rely on new borrowing
Recovery-month budget checked

Section H — Lender Discussion

Questions prepared
Amount/duration questions prepared
Interest/fee/term questions prepared
Asked what remains payable while request is pending
Asked when arrangement becomes effective
Requested written confirmation
Reference number recorded

Section I — After the Discussion

Written outcome saved
Documents submitted saved
Submission receipt saved
Proof of arrangement payments retained
Later statements checked
Follow-up date recorded
Wider assessment arranged if proposal remains unaffordable

How to use the checklist

Do not wait until every box is ticked if your next payment is approaching.

The checklist is intended to help you prepare, not prevent you from contacting the lender while you are still gathering information.

Start with the documents available.

Then ask your credit provider what additional information it needs.