About This Policy

This policy explains how Direct Debit payments work for services supplied by Bendigo Telco. By providing your bank account or credit/debit card details, you authorise us to collect payments for your services in accordance with this policy. This policy applies to:

Residential customers.
Small business customers.
Any customer who authorises Bendigo Telco to debit payments from a nominated bank account or payment card.

Direct Debit as Our Standard Payment Method

Direct Debit is Bendigo Telco's standard payment method for recurring services. Unless otherwise agreed, customers are required to maintain a valid Direct Debit arrangement for all active services.

Approved payment methods may include:

Australian bank account (direct debit)
Visa
Mastercard

Your Responsibilities

You must ensure that:

Your payment details are accurate and up to date.
Sufficient funds or credit are available when payments are due.
You notify us if your payment details change.
Your account remains capable of accepting Direct Debit transactions.

Billing Cycles

Bendigo Telco may use either anniversary billing or calendar month billing, depending on the Services you receive and our billing arrangements at the time of activation.

Anniversary Billing: For eligible Services, your monthly billing date will generally be based on the date the Service is activated. Your invoice will be issued on the same date (or closest applicable date) each month.
Calendar Month Billing: For eligible Services, charges are billed for each calendar month, with invoices generally covering the period from the first day to the last day of the month.

Where you have multiple Services with Bendigo Telco, we may align billing dates across your account to simplify administration and provide consolidated invoicing. We will advise you if this applies to your Services.

When Payments Are Processed

We will generally debit your nominated payment method on the due date shown on your invoice.

For customers on anniversary billing, payments will generally be collected based on the service activation date and recurring monthly billing cylce.

If a payment date falls on a weekend or public holiday, the transaction may be processed on the next business day.

Failed Payments

If a Direct Debit payment is unsuccessful, we may:

Retry the payment.
Contact you to arrange payment.
Restrict or suspend services where permitted under our agreement.
Require an alternative payment method.

You remain responsible for any unpaid amounts.

Updating Your Payment Details

You can update your payment details by contacting us at any time.

To avoid payment issues, changes should be submitted before your next scheduled payment date.

Cancelling Direct Debit

If you wish to cancel your Direct Debit arrangement, please contact us.

Cancelling a Direct Debit authority does not:

Cancel your services.
Remove any outstanding charges.
Change your obligation to pay for services provided.

If Direct Debit is a condition of your service, an alternative approved payment arrangement may be required before cancellation can be processed.

Financial Hardship

If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact us as soon as possible.

We are committed to working with customers experiencing financial hardship and may be able to provide assistance through payment arrangements or other support options under our Financial Hardship Policy.

Customers are encouraged to seek assistance before a scheduled payment is missed.

Information regarding Bendigo Telco’s Financial Hardship Policy is available on our website or upon request.

Vulnerable Customers

Bendigo Telco recognises that some customers may be affected by:

Financial hardship.
Serious illness.
Disability.
Domestic and family violence.
Other vulnerability circumstances.

Customers who require additional support are encouraged to contact Bendigo Telco so appropriate assistance options can be considered.

Information regarding Bendigo Telco’s Domestic and Family Violence Support information is available on our website or upon request.

Privacy and Security

We handle your personal and payment information in accordance with our Privacy and Credit Reporting Policy and applicable Australian privacy laws.

Your payment details are used only for payment processing, account administration, fraud prevention, and related business purposes.

Information regarding Bendigo Telco’s Privacy and Credit Reporting Policy is available on our website or upon request.

Vulnerable Customers

If you believe a payment has been processed incorrectly, please contact us as soon as possible.

We will investigate the issue and work with you to resolve it promptly.

Customers may also:

Contact their financial institution.
Access Bendigo Telco's Complaint Handling Process.
Escalate unresolved complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).

Information regarding Bendigo Telco’s Customer complaints and Feedback Policy is available on our website or upon request.