Financial Counselling Services

Our centre offers the following financial counselling services:

General Financial Counselling Service

(By appointment only)

Financial counselling is a free and confidential service for people who live, work or study in the City of Maribyrnong. We assist clients who are experiencing financial hardship. Our financial counsellors can tell you about your rights and responsibilities and provide you with your options. We can negotiate on your behalf with your credit provider.

These are some of the problems we can help you with:

  • loans, mortgages, car finance, credit cards
  • insurance disputes
  • gas, electricity, water or telephone bills
  • telephone or internet contracts or arrears
  • other consumer contracts
  • Centrelink problems
  • repossession actions by creditors
  • the payment of traffic and police fines and penalties
  • your household budget or loan repayment plans
  • voluntary bankruptcy information
  • family and small business finances
  • referrals to legal assistance

If we are unable to help you we may be able to refer you to a different service.

Please contact us on 9689 8444 to make an appointment or for more information. There can be a waiting list for appointments.

All our Financial Counsellors are member of the Financial and Consumer Rights Council and Financial Counselling Australia

Refugee Financial Counselling Service

(By appointment or drop-in Tuesdays – 2pm until 5pm)

This service is both a drop-in and appointment clinic on Tuesdays from 2pm until 5 pm. It is for clients of refugee background who live in the western suburbs of Melbourne.

Problems we may be able to assist you with include:

  • credit cards
  • loans
  • gas, electricity, water or telephone bills
  • telephone or internet contracts or arrears
  • the payment of fines
  • your household budget
  • Centrelink problems

Clients are assessed and given advice or referral. Clients with complex problems are referred to the centre’s Financial Counselling Service/solicitor or directed to a Financial Counselling service closer to where they live.

Braybrook Financial Counselling Outreach

Braybrook Maidstone Neighbourhood House
113 Melon Street, Braybrook
(Thursdays – 10am until 4pm)

A financial counsellor is available at the Braybrook Maidstone Neighbourhood House on Thursdays by appointment.

These are some of the problems we can help you with:

  • loans, mortgages, car finance, credit cards
  • insurance disputes
  • gas, electricity, water or telephone bills
  • telephone or internet contracts or arrears
  • other consumer contracts
  • Centrelink problems
  • repossession actions by creditors
  • the payment of traffic and police fines and penalties
  • your household budget or loan repayment plans
  • voluntary bankruptcy information
  • family and small business finances
  • referrals to legal assistance

Clients are seen by appointments only. Please phone to make an appointment on 9317 5610.

Melbourne Citymission's Youth Enterprise Hub
154 Churchill Ave, Braybrook
(Tuesday Afternoons – 2pm until 5pm)

A financial counsellor is available to assist young people up to 25 years of age on Tuesday afternoons. No appointment is necessary! Problems we can help you with include:

  • phone or internet contracts o paying fines or penalties
  • gas, electricity, water or telephone bills
  • budgeting

Drop in or make an appointment by contacting Atem on 9689 8444.