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How we help

MABS is free, confidential and independent.

We work with people who have all types of personal debt, and many of our clients have multiple types of debt. We aim to look at each client’s situation as a whole, seeking to find the best solution for that client.

Our Helpline

Our Helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm (0818 07 2000), if you would like to call us and discuss your debt issues. Many of our clients use a combination of our Money Tools and our Helpline to negotiate with their creditors themselves.

Other clients use the online resources and the Helpline as a first step to attending at one of our offices.

When you call our Helpline or call one of our offices, you will be asked for information about your situation. This is done to help us determine how best to help you, and how urgent your situation is – the more information you can give us the better and if you are in the middle of a crisis, you will not be left waiting.

Our face-to-face service

COVID-19 Update – All our offices remain open, although face-to-face appointments are limited. Each of the offices continues to offer full money and debt advice service, to our existing and new clients. We are providing our service by phone, email & post.

Our money advice service is completely free, confidential and independent, and is available in over 60 locations nationwide.

If it appears that the best support we can give to you is through face-to-face meetings with one of our Money Advisers, you will be asked to collect some information before your first appointment. You may be asked to write down as much as you can about your home life; who lives with you, what income is coming in, what regular bills you have, where your money is spent, and any debts you may have. This is really important as we cannot help you in the best way possible, if we only have half the story.

Everything you tell your Money Adviser is confidential to that service, as per our Confidentiality Policy, and the Money Adviser will make no judgement on your life. We will never share your information without your permission and we will only ever share your information in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.

Generally, your Money Adviser will look first at your income and help you see if there is any way that this can be increased. Next, we look at your spending – are you spending too much in some areas or too little in others, can you get better value out of the money you have available to you.

Once we have looked at these aspects, we then look at your debts – where money is owed, are there any arrears, how can we make the situation better? We know that most people want to pay what they owe, but sometimes, changes in circumstances just make that impossible. Your Money Adviser will help you in working out what you can afford, and then will support you in discussing this with your creditors.

Voluntary arrangements and personal insolvency

Many people who come to MABS are assisted in reaching a voluntary arrangement with their creditors. This means that both you and your lenders are agreeing to a new arrangement – it is voluntary, and the particular details of the arrangement and its consequences will be discussed with your Money Adviser.

Since 2013, new statutory solutions are also available, as new law in insolvency was introduced. Such arrangements are approved through the courts, so accessing these is a little different. Again, your Money Adviser will explain these to you as they may suit your situation. One of the solutions under this insolvency legislation is a Debt Relief Notice (DRN), which is available through MABS.

Mortgage arrears

While MABS has always provided advice on mortgage arrears, MABS now has a dedicated confidential, free, and independent mortgage arrears service. Our Dedicated Mortgage Arrears Advisers are available throughout the country to give you mortgage arrears advice and refer you to other free professional services.

You can make an appointment with the dedicated service by calling the MABS Helpline on 0818 07 2000.

Rent arrears

MABS can assist tenants with budgeting advice and work with them and their landlords to come to an agreement to sustain the tenancy where possible. MABS have experience dealing with all types of creditors and landlords including local authority, housing bodies and private landlords.

Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020

If a tenant’s ability to pay rent has been impacted by Covid-19 and the tenant meets specific criteria, new procedures and protections apply.

Under the new law, a landlord must also provide the RTB with any written rent arrears Warning Notice that they issue to a tenant. Upon receipt, the RTB shall provide the tenant with information on the support available from MABS and will assist the tenant in engaging with MABS, if the tenant agrees. MABS will support tenants to assess the current rent arrears situation by exploring options to help sustain the tenancy. It is strongly encouraged that the tenant avails of this support service. You can read more about this on the RTB website and the leaflet here.

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