Relief for Porirua mum after debt wiped following Porirua Whānau Centre support

Nearly $14,000 in debt has been wiped for a Porirua mother of four, ending months of financial strain and pressure from debt collectors.

The turnaround follows sustained advocacy from Porirua Whānau Centre Budgeting Facilitator Christine.

When the news came through, the impact was immediate.

“She was very overwhelmed with relief,” Christine says, after calling her client with the update.

Christine had been working alongside the woman as part of ongoing budgeting support, after a car loan quickly turned into something unmanageable.

The vehicle had been bought through Go Car Finance (which was pulled from the market by its parent company Solvar in 2024), with multiple add-on insurance products included in the deal.

Those extras pushed up the cost early, and over time, with interest, the total debt climbed to more than $30,000.

Within five months, the car was repossessed and later sold for about $3,000. Even after that, a significant debt remained, and the situation began to take a toll.

“It makes them feel real anxious; they’re just waiting for the next debt collector to come and knock on their door,” Christine says.

Christine stepped in to advocate on her behalf. She contacted the debt management company, first asking for home visits to stop, then pushing for a hardship write-off based on the client’s financial situation.

At the time, weekly expenses were already higher than income, with further increases expected in rent and power costs.

Support from the Whānau Centre, including regular food assistance, helped ease some of the immediate pressure.

After reviewing the case, the company agreed to clear three debts, totalling $13,928.34.

Christine says cases like this highlight wider concerns about lending practices.

“They’re supposed to do an affordability assessment … but they’re passing people who can’t afford it.”

For the mother at the centre of the case, the change is immediate. The pressure has lifted, and the constant worry about what might happen next has eased.