Financial Hardship Policy

How we can help you out with making ends meet

Our commitment to our customers

As we strive to be Australia's leading customer service company, we recognise that customers may occasionally face difficulties in meeting their payment obligations. This could be short term, but it can also be long term. If you are experiencing financial hardship for any reason, you have the right to apply for assistance which will be provided free of charge.

The main goal of this policy is to prioritise keeping customers experiencing financial hardship connected. We are committed to helping any customer facing financial hardship to retain their internet (and phone access where applicable) and working with them to find a sustainable solution.

If you are experiencing financial hardship, we will only suspend or disconnect your service as a matter of last resort.

What is Financial Hardship?

Financial hardship is when you are experiencing circumstances where you are unable to meet your payment obligations to us, but believe that you will be able to meet these obligations if an arrangement for payment assistance is made.

Circumstances that may affect your ability to pay include (but are not limited to); illness, unemployment, a reduction in income, experiencing domestic or family violence, a death in the family, natural disasters or any other unexpected events that change income or expenses.

Types of assistance available

We can provide a range of options to help you stay online with us when you are experiencing financial hardship. The options we provide may include:

• A payment plan tailored to your ability to pay.

• Temporarily postponing, extending, or deferring the time for paying your Service.

• Discounting a bill charge.

• Applying a credit to your account.

• Waiving a debt.

• Transferring you to a speed tier better suited to your circumstances.

• Removing non-essential features of a service at no cost.

How to Apply

You can apply by contacting (AEST) us via:

Application assessment

Once all information has been received, we will assess your circumstances and advise you within 5 working days if we can help.

We consider any documents relating to income, statements from advisors and your past payment history with us when we make an assessment. We aim to set up an arrangement that helps you to pay your bills, while not causing you further financial strain. We also do not charge for assessments or administrative costs.

If you are eligible, we will:

• work with you to find a sustainable arrangement, then

• confirm the arrangement via letter or email to you, then

• ask for your agreement.
  

The arrangement will not start until you agree to it. You must inform us if your circumstances change during our arrangement, and we can then review your arrangement. If we cannot provide you with financial hardship assistance, we will advise you immediately after we have assessed your application.

Financial Counselling

If you are facing financial difficulty, you may wish to consider obtaining advice from a financial counsellor. You can talk to a financial counsellor anywhere in Australia by contacting the National Debt Helpline by:

• Calling 1800 007 007 - Free hotline - 9.30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday 

• Live Chat at https://ndh.org.au - 9.00am to 8.00pm Monday to Friday
  

You can also find the financial counselling service nearest to you by visiting: https://ndh.org.au/financial-counselling/find-a-financial-counsellor.
 

Complaints Handling Process

If you wish to appeal the outcome of a financial hardship assessment, you can do so via our Complaints Handling Process.

You can make a complaint to us by:

If you are still not happy with the outcome of your complaint after following our dispute resolution process, you can contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) for independent mediation. The TIO can be contacted by calling 1800 062 058 or visiting the TIO website at https://www.tio.com.au/complaints.

Making a complaint does not prevent you from receiving financial hardship assistance from us.