Guides · Problem-solving guide
Absa Payment Relief: How to Apply on a Home Loan or Vehicle Finance
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For Absa payment relief contact details, call 0861 222 272, or +27 11 221 0200 from outside South Africa, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:30 or Saturday 08:00 to 13:00. You can also email bondrs@absa.africa. The same 0861 222 272 number is given for vehicle finance customers who are struggling with repayments. Absa describes options including payment arrangements, a reduced repayment for up to six months, a longer home loan term, and help selling a house or vehicle. Relief is not automatic, and this is not the COVID-19 relief programme of 2020, which Absa no longer advertises.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent guide, not Absa. We cannot apply for relief on your behalf or see your account. The information below was read on absa.co.za and ncr.org.za on 22 September 2026, and the Absa numbers were rechecked on 26 September 2026.
Absa payment relief contact details
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Payment relief line (home loans, and vehicle finance customers in difficulty) | 0861 222 272 / 011 221 0200, bondrs@absa.africa; Mon to Fri 08:00 to 16:30, Sat 08:00 to 13:00 |
| 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 registered debt counsellor | NCR register of debt counsellors on ncr.org.za |
For all the relief routes together, see the Absa Payment Relief contact details page. More home-loan-specific contact routes are listed on the Absa Home Loans contact details page.
Absa bank payment relief call centre number
The Absa bank payment relief call centre number is 0861 222 272. From outside South Africa, call +27 11 221 0200. The line is available Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:30 and Saturday 08:00 to 13:00. For a written route, the Absa relief email given for home loan payment assistance is bondrs@absa.africa.
When you contact Absa, explain that you cannot pay, or expect that you will not be able to pay, your instalment and ask which payment arrangement may apply to your account. Absa assesses affordability, so be ready to explain your current income, monthly expenses and what you can realistically pay.
- For a home loan, ask about settling arrears over time, a reduced payment for up to six months, or extending the loan term up to 360 months.
- For vehicle finance, Absa lists a short-term arrangement, a loan restructure, HelpUSell or voluntary surrender.
- Ask for any agreed arrangement in writing, including the amount, duration and treatment of arrears.
How to apply for Absa payment relief on a home loan
If you are looking for how to apply for Absa payment relief or how to apply for Absa home relief, Absa says to contact it as soon as possible when you know you may miss a repayment. You can call 0861 222 272, use +27 11 221 0200 from abroad, or email bondrs@absa.africa.
- Contact Absa as soon as you know that you may not be able to pay the instalment.
- Call 0861 222 272, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:30 or Saturday 08:00 to 13:00, or email bondrs@absa.africa.
- Alternatively, use Absa’s “speak to an expert” home loan page and select “I need help with a payment arrangement”.
- Explain what has changed in your finances and what payment you can afford.
- Get the arrangement in writing, including the new instalment, how long it runs and what happens to any arrears.
Absa does not publish a fixed list of documents for a relief application. The current page advises having your latest payslips or bank statements and a simple list of monthly expenses ready so that you can discuss affordability.
Absa home loan payment relief options
Absa’s home loan “trouble with repayments” information describes several options for customers who cannot keep up with their normal bond instalment. Which option applies depends on the customer’s circumstances and affordability assessment.
- Settle arrears over time. Absa says arrears can be cleared in one month or spread over six months.
- 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 considers a longer-term solution.
- Partial payments under a forbearance plan. This is subject to Absa’s affordability criteria.
- Longer loan term. Absa can extend the term up to 360 months to reduce the instalment.
- HelpUSell. If the property is no longer affordable, Absa offers help selling it and says it may write off up to 50% of any shortfall. Offers on these properties go to privatesales@absa.co.za.
A longer home loan term can reduce the monthly instalment, but Absa says arrears are added to the outstanding balance when the term is extended. Paying a lower instalment over a longer period also means more interest in total.
For a home that is no longer affordable, Absa’s trouble with repayments page also has a “Call me back” option for HelpUSell property sales. The Absa Banking App can be used to identify and pay an overdue account.
Absa bank car payment relief and vehicle finance arrangements
For Absa bank car payment relief, the payment assistance number given to vehicle finance customers in difficulty is 0861 222 272. Absa lists four possible vehicle finance routes: a short-term arrangement, a loan restructure, HelpUSell or voluntary surrender.
The general Absa vehicle finance line is 0860 669 669, with vehiclefinance@absa.co.za. The FASTBuy HelpUSell team can be reached on 0860 789 555 or FASTBuyHUS@absa.africa. The Absa vehicle finance payment arrangements page has the full set of routes.
Voluntary surrender does not automatically cancel the remaining debt. Absa says the process is completed by signing a voluntary termination document and that the customer remains liable for any shortfall after the vehicle is sold.
Absa credit card relief and personal loan payment arrangements
Absa publishes no dedicated relief programme for credit cards or personal loans. Its credit card debt information advises customers to contact Absa and negotiate lower instalments where possible. For a credit card, the contact route on the current page is 0861 462 273 or contactcard@absa.co.za. For a personal loan, Absa’s contact page lists 0860 100 372.
When asking about Absa credit card relief or help with a personal loan, ask specifically for a payment arrangement and get any agreement in writing.
Absa relief plan feedback and complaints
For feedback on an Absa relief plan application, contact the same channel used for the application. For home loans, the routes listed on this page are 0861 222 272 and bondrs@absa.africa. If a response is unreasonably delayed, the complaints contact is 0800 41 41 41 or actionline@absa.co.za.
The current information does not describe a separate Absa relief fund application process. The assistance described here consists of standard repayment arrangements for home loans and vehicle finance rather than the COVID-19 relief programme that Absa advertised in 2020.
When debt review may be the better route
If you owe several lenders and cannot meet your monthly debts overall, an arrangement with one bank may not solve the wider problem. Debt review, also called debt counselling, is the relief process described under the National Credit Act. The National Credit Regulator keeps the register of debt counsellors.
- A registered debt counsellor assesses all your debts and proposes reduced repayments to creditors.
- While the application is processed, within 60 business days, you are protected against legal action such as repossession.
- Debt review is not a payment holiday. You continue 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, use the NCR’s register of debt counsellors on ncr.org.za. The NCR has warned about false and misleading debt counselling marketing, so registration should be checked with the NCR rather than assumed from an advert.
Absa payment relief fraud line and scam warning
The Absa fraud hotline listed on this page is 0860 557 557, or +27 11 501 5089. The line is marked as 24/7 in the existing contact information.
People who are already under repayment pressure can be targeted by callers offering to “fast-track” relief for a fee or by messages asking them to confirm sensitive details. 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 through the contact routes published by Absa and report anything suspicious to 0860 557 557.
Frequently asked questions
How do I contact Absa payment relief?
Call 0861 222 272, or +27 11 221 0200 from abroad, Monday to Friday 08:00 to 16:30 or Saturday 08:00 to 13:00. You can also email bondrs@absa.africa.
How do I apply for Absa payment relief?
For home loan relief, call 0861 222 272, email bondrs@absa.africa, or select “I need help with a payment arrangement” on Absa’s online home loan contact form. Be ready to explain what changed financially and what payment you can afford.
How do I apply for Absa home relief?
Contact Absa on 0861 222 272 or bondrs@absa.africa, or use its home loan payment-arrangement contact form. Absa describes options including clearing arrears over time, a reduced payment for up to six months and extending the loan term.
How do I get feedback from an Absa relief plan application?
Follow up through the same channel you used to apply. For home loans, use 0861 222 272 or bondrs@absa.africa; if a response is unreasonably delayed, the complaints contact is 0800 41 41 41.
Does Absa offer credit card relief?
Absa publishes no dedicated credit card relief programme on the information used for this page. Its credit card debt guidance says to contact Absa and negotiate lower instalments where possible, using 0861 462 273 or contactcard@absa.co.za.
What does Absa vehicle finance payment relief include?
Absa lists a short-term arrangement, a loan restructure, HelpUSell and voluntary surrender. If a surrendered or sold vehicle does not cover the full balance, Absa says the customer remains liable for the shortfall.
Is the Absa COVID-19 relief fund still open?
Absa no longer advertises a COVID-19 relief programme on absa.co.za. The assistance described in the current information is through its standard home loan and vehicle finance repayment options.
Can extending my Absa home loan reduce my instalment?
Absa says it can extend a home loan term up to 360 months, which lowers the instalment. It also says arrears are added to the outstanding balance when the term is extended, and a longer term means more interest over the life of the loan.
Sources
- Absa home loans: trouble with repayments page, absa.co.za/personal/loans/for-a-home/trouble-with-repayments/, read 22 and 26 September 2026
- Absa vehicle finance: a debt-free journey starts now page, absa.co.za/personal/loans/for-a-car/explore-solutions/a-debt-free-journey-starts-now/, read 22 and 26 September 2026
- Absa Talk to us page (vehicle finance, complaints and fraud numbers), absa.co.za/talk-to-us/, read 22 and 26 September 2026
- NCR debt counselling and debt counsellor register information, ncr.org.za, read 22 September 2026