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Other Debts

Find out about your rights and responsibilities if you have debts from tolls, strata, tenancy, unpaid tax, Centrelink and more.
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Steve’s Story: Unpaid toll debts

Two years ago, Steve sold his car and cancelled the e-tag which was installed in the car. A few months ago, Steve received a letter from a debt collector stating that he owed $15,000 in unpaid tolls for a car which he sold 2 years ago. Steve ignored the letter and has now received a Statement of Claim, commencing court proceedings against him for failure to pay the debt. Financial Rights helped Steve respond to the court proceedings and complete a statutory declaration saying he sold the car two years ago and the new owner of the car is responsible for paying the tolls.

young couple worried about insurance on home

When to get help

Read through the fact sheets below and use the sample letters selected. Give us a call if you don’t know where to start or can’t find a solution for your problem. Debts come in all shapes and sizes, perhaps a motoring or toll fine, a tax office or Centrelink debt or might include:

  • You’re behind on rent, council rates or strata levies and you are worried about losing your home.
  • Fines through Revenue NSW that you are struggling to pay.
  • You’ve received a letter saying you owe multiple tolls but you sold the car months ago.
  • You can’t pay, or want to dispute, your Centrelink debt
  • You have received a notice about an ATO debt.

Fact Sheets

These fact sheets will give you more detailed legal information about your debt problem.

Sample Letters

These sample letters will help you make contact with the company claiming the debt

Contact Us

If you need to speak to a financial counsellor you can call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007

  • Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm (Sydney time)
  • Please note, the National Debt Helpline is answered by both Financial Rights (our service) and Uniting (NSW.ACT) which is based in Dubbo and provides telephone financial counselling, but does not have solicitors available. Our services are run separately, neither service has access to any information or advice given to or by the other service.

If you have an urgent legal problem call our Financial Rights Legal Advice Line on 1800 844 949 (NSW)

  • Monday to Friday 10am – 1pm (Sydney time)

If you are experiencing or recovering from abuse please visit our Financial Abuse webpage.

External Resources

The National Debt Helpline has information resources about all kinds of debts.

Tenants’ Union NSW has fact sheets and legal information about your rights as a renter.

Marrickiville Legal Centre provides advice on strata issues.

Community Legal Centres Australia is the peak body for community legal centres.

Welfare Rights Centre provides legal advice on Centrelink and social security matters to people in NSW.

UNSW Tax Clinic provides free tax advice for those most in need.

 

 

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Very helpful, and the process was really quick. In 48 hours I had a much clearer understanding on how to approach the debts. The team from the moment I first called were friendly, respectful and more than willing to assist.