Direct debit terms and conditions

General

This agreement sets out the terms and conditions upon which the ACT Revenue Office will provide for the processing of payments to rates, land tax, land rent and deferred duty accounts by direct debit entries from a Customer’s account held with a Financial Institution.

For both Autopay and Nominate where the Customer requests that any of the above accounts are to be paid by a direct debit arrangement, separate amounts for rates, land tax, land rent and deferred duty will be debited to the Customer’s nominated account.

Autopay

Customers selecting the Autopay direct debit scheme can elect to have payments debited to their nominated account on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or annual frequency (please note that the annual payment option is only available for rates and land rent accounts). Customers will have their payments automatically deducted from their nominated account with a Financial Institution.

Where an Autopay weekly, fortnightly or monthly payment frequency is selected, the payment amounts will be automatically re-calculated each year to pay the annual charges over an 11 month period. No amounts will be deducted in the month that the annual assessment notices for rates or land rent are issued or the first quarter assessment notice for land tax is issued.

All Customers on Autopay will receive their annual assessment notices for rates or land rent, quarterly assessment notices for land tax (whichever is applicable). Customers electing to have rates and land rent payments deducted on a quarterly basis will also receive a quarterly reminder notice. Details of any revised payment amount and the date of the first direct debit deduction for each year will be provided with the annual assessment notices and, if applicable, first quarter assessment notice for land tax.

Please note that the Autopay direct debit scheme is not available to Customers who have arrears outstanding on their rates, land tax or land rent accounts. In addition, the Autopay direct debit scheme is not available for deferred duty accounts.

Nominate

The Nominate direct debit scheme allows the Customer to nominate the amount and frequency of the payments to be deducted from their nominated account with a Financial Institution. Customers can select a weekly, fortnightly or monthly frequency.

Under Nominate, the Customer is responsible for ensuring that all amounts specified in any assessment notices are paid by the due date. Amounts outstanding on the 16th of each month for rates, land tax and land rent will attract monthly interest at the applicable rate. Any amounts payable and outstanding for deferred duty will attract daily interest at the applicable rate.

All Customers on Nominate will receive their normal rates, land tax and land rent assessment and reminder notices, and six-monthly statements for deferred duty accounts (whichever is applicable).

Payment Frequency

Direct debit arrangements include the following payment frequencies: * Weekly – Direct debit amounts will be debited each Thursday.

The date specified above, on which amounts are to be debited, is the date on which the ACT Revenue Office will send a direct debit request to its Sponsor Financial Institution for processing. The date on which the Customer’s account is debited will depend on the processing of the debit by the Customer’s Financial Institution, and may occur after the date on which the ACT Revenue Office sends the debit request to its Sponsor Financial Institution.

Cleared Funds

It is the Customer’s responsibility to ensure that sufficient clear funds are available in the nominated account with a Financial institution by the due date to permit the payment of any debit amounts initiated in accordance with the relevant Direct Debit Request.

Non-Working Days and Public Holidays

If the due date for payment falls on a non-working day or a public holiday, the payment will be processed on the next available working day. If the Customer is in any doubt, please contact the ACT Revenue Office to clarify the date of processing.

Returned/Unpaid Transactions

The ACT Revenue Office will notify Customers in writing of any direct debit transactions that are rejected by their Financial Institution.

Customers are required to manually pay to their rates, land tax, land rent or deferred duty account any rejected direct debit transaction amounts and any associated fees.

Direct debit arrangements for a Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly or Quarterly payment frequency will be automatically cancelled if three (3) transactions are rejected within a twelve month period.

Direct debit arrangements for an Annual payment frequency will be automatically cancelled if an annual transaction is rejected.

A fee applies to each rejected direct debit transaction. Fees for rejected transactions will be debited to the Customer’s relevant rates, land tax, land rent or deferred duty account.

Variation of Direct Debit Arrangements

The ACT Revenue Office will provide the Customer with at least 14 days notice of any variation or changes to the direct debit arrangement.

Customer Changes to Direct Debit Arrangements

Customers may change the direct debit arrangement with the ACT Revenue Office by contacting the Office during normal business hours. Some changes to a direct debit arrangement may require the completion of a new Direct Debit Request by the Customer.

Customers must advise the ACT Revenue Office immediately if the account details in the Direct Debit Request change or the Customer’s account with the Financial Institution is closed.

Customers should allow at least 14 days from the date that the ACT Revenue Office is notified or, where a new Direct Debit Request is required, from the date that the request is received by the ACT Revenue Office, for any changes to take effect. The ACT Revenue Office will confirm in writing any changes to the direct debit arrangement.

Suspension of Direct Debit Arrangements

Customers may request the suspension of their direct debit arrangement by contacting the ACT Revenue Office at least five (5) working days prior to the date of the next scheduled direct debit payment. The ACT Revenue Office may require the Customer to provide details in writing of their request to suspend the direct debit arrangement.

It is the Customer’s responsibility to make manual payments for any payments that are not made as a result of the suspension of their direct debit arrangement.

Where the direct debit arrangement has been suspended at the request of the Customer on three (3) occasions in the previous twelve month period, the ACT Revenue Office may at its absolute discretion refuse to allow any further suspension and cancel the direct debit arrangement.

Cancelling Direct Debit Arrangement

Customers may cancel their direct debit arrangement with the ACT Revenue Office by contacting the Office not less than five (5) working days prior to the due date of the next scheduled direct debit payment.

Disputing a Debit Item

All enquiries in relation to direct debit transactions should, in the first instance, be directed to the ACT Revenue Office.

The ACT Revenue Office will investigate all claims and advise the Customer of the result of those investigations.

If the ACT Revenue Office has incorrectly processed a direct debit transaction from a Customer’s nominated account, the Customer’s rates, land tax, land rent or deferred duty account will be adjusted accordingly and any amounts incorrectly debited will be refunded to the Customer.

Contacting the ACT Revenue Office

Contact the ACT Revenue Office by clicking here or phone (02) 6207 0028.

Accounts for Direct Debit

Customers should note that:

If you are in any doubt, you should check with your Financial Institution before completing the Direct Debit Request authority.

Privacy

All Customer records and account details will be kept private and confidential to be disclosed only at the request of the Customer or their Financial Institution in connection with a claim made to an alleged incorrect or wrongful debit transaction.