Financial counsellors can provide free, confidential and independent advice about debts, money management and the debt recovery system. They act as negotiators with creditors, and provide paralegal advice on credit, debt and bankruptcy. A directory of financial counselling organisations is given in Chapter 8*2.

If you need to seek legal advice, you can contact the Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC), your local community legal centre or VLA (see: Chapter 2*4 Advice Directory, for contact details). CALC provides free legal advice and representation to vulnerable and disadvantaged consumers across Victoria. CALC can give advice about whether you have grounds to dispute a debt. Call their Legal Advice Line on 9629 6300, or 1300 881 020 (local call cost for Victorians in country areas). The CALC website at www.consumeraction.org.au has fact sheets about credit and debt. You can also email CALC your free legal advice query via the website.

VLA produces a booklet entitled Debt problems: The law, your options (April 2010), which provides general information about what can happen if you do not pay your debts. This booklet is available to download for free from the VLA website at www.legalaid.vic.gov.au (follow links from "Publications").

You can also contact Consumer Affairs Victoria about debt problems by phoning 1300 558 181 (Consumer Affairs Helpline) between 9.00 am and 5.00 pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

For information about types of debt and your options, visit the MoneyHelp website at www.moneyhelp.org.au. MoneyHelp provides free, confidential and independent financial advice to Victorians who are struggling to pay their mortgage or rent, or have experienced, or are facing, job loss or reduced working hours.

MoneyHelp has a free financial counselling service that can be accessed by: