Although it is possible to make a start on clearing your debts without any help, most people would urge you to take some debt advice before you commit to any particular product or action. That's because a solution that's right for one person may not be right for everyone and you need to be confident that the steps you take will actually help you out of debt – not put you further into it.

Where to get debt advice

Where you choose to go for debt advice is up to you. Perhaps you've already decided on the route you want to take and you just want to get advice from a few companies that offer the service you need so that you can choose the best product for you. Alternatively, you may be unsure about how to start sorting out your finances – in which case you need more general debt advice. You can turn to a number of places, including:

• Citizens Advice Bureaux
• Debt help lines
• Online debt advice sites
• Professional financial advisers
• Specialist debt companies
• Debt solution providers
• Lenders

You may think that your lenders are the last people you should turn to but in fact, many lenders have specialist departments who can help you to try and sort out your debts by negotiating new payment arrangements. It's worth trying to talk to your lender to see if they can help before you take any other steps. If your lender doesn't appear to be very helpful, you should contact a professional debt manager, like the team at Discount Property Auction.

Which debt advice is best?

In general, debt advice is very similar from one adviser to the next. You will probably be told to work out exactly how much you owe and who to, and to put your debts in order of importance. You will then need to look at your finances to calculate what you're currently paying and to see where you can make cuts in your spending. Our specialist debt management programme is different to the rest, because we contact your lenders directly on your behalf, negotiating lower payment levels – then 9 to 24 months later, we talk to them again, agreeing a one-off payment, which will completely eliminate your debt. This process allows you to clear up to 80% of unsecured debt - helping you to clear your debts permanently.

If you need help to get out of debt by selling your home, contact us at Discount Property Auction. We're committed to helping you, whatever your circumstances. If you want to sell your home, you can use our dedicated online auction facility, which allows you to upload your property yourself and put it in front of genuine, interested buyers. Call us now on 0800 1313 999 or email admin@discountpropertyauction.co.uk to arrange a valuation today.