Guides · Problem-solving guide
Absa Payment Relief: How to Apply on a Home Loan or Vehicle Finance
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Direct answer
To apply for Absa payment relief on a home loan, call Absa on 0861 222 272 (011 221 0200 from abroad) or email bondrs@absa.africa as soon as you know you will miss a payment. The same 0861 222 272 number is given for vehicle finance customers who are struggling. Absa’s options are payment arrangements, a reduced repayment for up to six months, a longer loan term, or help selling the house or car. It is not automatic, and it is not the COVID-19 relief programme of 2020, which Absa no longer advertises. Everything below was read on absa.co.za and ncr.org.za on 22 September 2026.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent guide, not Absa. We cannot apply for relief on your behalf or see your account.
What Absa offers if you cannot pay your home loan
Absa’s “trouble with repayments” page describes these options for home loan customers:
- Settle your arrears over time. Absa offers to let you clear arrears in one month or spread them over six months.
- A short-term payment plan. For home loans older than nine months, you can apply to pay a reduced amount for up to six months while Absa looks for a long-term solution.
- Partial payments under a forbearance plan, if you meet Absa’s affordability criteria.
- A longer loan term. Absa can extend the term up to 360 months, which lowers the instalment.
- HelpUSell. If you can no longer afford the property, Absa offers to help you sell it, and says it may write off up to 50% of any shortfall. Offers on these properties go to privatesales@absa.co.za.
Understand the cost before you agree. Absa says that when your term is extended, your arrears are added to the outstanding balance. A lower instalment over more years means more interest in total.
How to apply for Absa home loan payment relief
- Act before the missed payment, not after. Absa’s own words are to contact it as soon as possible. Arrears and legal fees are far harder to fix than a budget gap.
- Call 0861 222 272 (011 221 0200 internationally), Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:30 or Saturday 08:00 to 13:00, or email bondrs@absa.africa.
- Or use the online form. Absa’s “speak to an expert” home loan page has a dropdown option, “I need help with a payment arrangement”.
- Explain what changed and what you can afford. Absa assesses affordability, so be ready to talk about your current income and monthly expenses.
- Get the arrangement in writing, including the new instalment, how long it runs, and what happens to the arrears.
Absa does not publish a fixed list of documents for a relief application. Having your latest payslips or bank statements and a simple list of monthly expenses ready makes the conversation faster.
Absa vehicle finance payment relief
For car and asset finance, Absa lists four options: a short-term arrangement, a loan restructure, letting Absa’s HelpUSell team sell the vehicle, or voluntary surrender of the vehicle. Absa’s page gives 0861 222 272 for help. Its general vehicle finance line is 0860 669 669, and the FASTBuy HelpUSell team is on 0860 789 555 or FASTBuyHUS@absa.africa.
Be careful with voluntary surrender. It is done by signing a voluntary termination document, and Absa states that you remain liable for the shortfall after the vehicle is sold. Handing the car back does not by itself end the debt. Our Absa vehicle finance payment arrangements page lists the full set of routes.
Credit cards and personal loans
Absa publishes no dedicated relief programme for credit cards or personal loans. Its credit card debt page simply advises you to contact Absa and negotiate lower instalments where possible. For a credit card, start with Absa’s card line on 0861 462 273 or contactcard@absa.co.za. For a personal loan, Absa’s contact page lists 0860 100 372. Ask specifically for a payment arrangement, and get any agreement in writing.
When debt review is the better route
If you owe several lenders and cannot meet your monthly debts overall, a single bank’s arrangement may not be enough. Debt review, also called debt counselling, is the relief measure set out in the National Credit Act. The National Credit Regulator explains how it works:
- A registered debt counsellor assesses all your debts and proposes reduced repayments to every creditor.
- While the application is processed, within 60 business days, you are protected against legal action such as repossession.
- It is not a payment holiday. You keep paying, at the restructured amount.
- It is not blacklisting, but you cannot take new credit while under debt review.
- Spouses married in community of property must apply jointly.
To find a registered debt counsellor, call the NCR on 0860 627 627. The NCR has warned about false and misleading debt counselling marketing, so check registration with the NCR rather than trusting an advert.
Absa payment relief contact details
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Home loan repayment difficulty | 0861 222 272 / 011 221 0200, bondrs@absa.africa |
| Vehicle finance general | 0860 669 669, vehiclefinance@absa.co.za |
| FASTBuy HelpUSell (vehicles) | 0860 789 555, FASTBuyHUS@absa.africa |
| Complaints | 0800 41 41 41, actionline@absa.co.za |
| Fraud hotline (24/7) | 0860 557 557 / +27 11 501 5089 |
| Find a debt counsellor (NCR) | 0860 627 627 |
More routes are on our Absa Payment Relief contact details and Absa Home Loans contact details pages.
The scam to watch for
People in arrears are a target. Watch for callers offering to “fast-track” relief for a fee, or messages asking you to confirm details to qualify. Absa states that it will never ask for your PIN, password, card CVV or an OTP, will never ask you to call back to validate a call, and will never ask you to move money between accounts to protect it. Apply only through the numbers on absa.co.za, typed into your browser yourself, and report anything suspicious to the fraud hotline on 0860 557 557.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Absa COVID-19 relief fund still open?
Absa no longer advertises a COVID-19 relief programme on absa.co.za. Help for customers in difficulty now runs through its standard home loan and vehicle finance repayment options.
How do I apply for Absa payment relief on my house bond?
Call 0861 222 272, email bondrs@absa.africa, or choose “I need help with a payment arrangement” on Absa’s online home loan contact form.
Does payment relief make my bond more expensive?
It can. Absa says arrears are added to your balance when the term is extended, and a longer term means more interest paid over the life of the loan.
What does Absa vehicle finance payment relief mean?
It means a short-term arrangement or restructure of your car loan, or help selling or surrendering the car. If the car is surrendered or sold for less than you owe, you still owe the shortfall.
How do I get feedback on my Absa relief application?
Contact the same channel you applied through: 0861 222 272 or bondrs@absa.africa for home loans. If a response is unreasonably delayed, log a complaint on 0800 41 41 41.