Version August 2015 Page 1 of 2

Telstra Access for Everyone Programs

Telstra has several programs for people on low income and in a financial crisis that helps them to

stay connected no matter what. These programs are delivered through Community Organisations

such as St Vincent de Paul Society. Some of the programs that we are involved in are:

1. Telstra Bill Assistance Program (TBAP)

The TBAP Program aims to assist people who are experiencing financial difficulty and are unable to

pay their Telstra bill. Telstra provides the Society with Telstra Bill Assistance Certificates (vouchers)

worth $50 each to help clients pay towards their Telstra bill at no cost to the Society.

Conferences are required to assess the circumstances of a client before deciding on the level of

Telstra assistance to be given to them. The maximum number of certificates issued against any one

Telstra bill cannot exceed 10 certificates ($500). Any amounts over $500 may not be processed by

Telstra.

If a client has received TBAP assistance more than five times (including from other agencies) please

contact Telstra’s Specialised Assistance Team (SAT) on 1800 045 092, while the client is with you.

Please note the SAT number is only for use by Community Organisations.

For more information please refer to the TBAP Guidelines.

2. Telstra Calling Card Program

The calling cards provides eligible people, including those who are homeless or transient,

experiencing financial hardship or are in a crisis situation, with access to a $5 Telstra Phonecard or

PhoneAway card (each a "pre-paid calling card").

Telstra Phonecard PhoneAway

Cashless calling from Telstra Payphones within

Australia

Cashless calling from almost any phone in

Australia and some countries overseas

To make a call: Simply insert the Telstra

Phonecard in the payphone and start dialling

To make a call: Dial the access number, select a

language, enter the 12digit card number, then the

number you are calling

Voicemail available

You can add value to the card

Central Council Executive Officers are authorised to order the Telstra Calling cards at no additional

cost to the Society.

For more information please refer to the Telstra calling card program guidelines

3. Telstra Mobile Pre-paid recharge Program

The program provides eligible people, including homeless young people or victims of domestic

violence who depend on a Telstra Pre-Paid mobile for their communications, with access to a

complimentary Telstra Pre-Paid Recharge Card. Central Council Executive Officers are authorised to

order the Telstra Pre-paid recharge cards at no additional cost to the Society.

Please turn over

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For more information please refer to the Telstra pre-paid recharge program guidelines.

For more information or clarification on Telstra Access for Everyone Program please contact:

Telstra:

Phone: 1800 804 591

Email: consumer.affairs@team.telstra.com

Website: telstra.com.au/abouttelstra/commitments/access-for-everyone/community-agencies

To access Calling Cards and Telstra Prepaid recharge cards, please contact

your Central Council office.

WHAT IS THE TELSTRA BILL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM?

Telstra’s Bill Assistance Program (TBAP) is Telstra’s way of helping our customers who are experiencing a financial crisis and are unable to

pay their Telstra bill. Under the program, participating community agencies are asked to conduct an assessment of a customer’s circumstances, and if the

customer qualifies for the program, the agency has the discretion to issue a $50 TBAP Certificate to help the customer pay his or her Telstra bill (maximum $500).

The $50 Certificates may only be applied as a bill adjustment against current and outstanding Telstra bills. These Guidelines set out the conditions we request

participating agencies to comply with administering the Telstra Bill Assistance Program.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR TBAP ASSISTANCE?Telstra consumer customers can apply for TBAP assistance.

If a customer is not able to make the application themselves, an authorised representative may apply for assistance on the customer’s behalf. Applicants residing outside of Australia are not eligible.

HOW DO YOU ASSESS AN APPLICATION?We ask the community agency to assess the customer’s circumstances to determine if they are genuinely experiencing financial hardship and having difficulty paying their Telstra bill(s).

Applicants should be assessed in the same way their needs are assessed for other assistance, such as emergency relief/cash, food and clothes, and relief from other utility bills.

It is expected that in the majority of cases, such hardship will stem from causes such as:

• a significant decrease in income or high unavoidable expenses (e.g. unemployment, illness/death of a primary income earner);

• a natural or family disaster where it is impossible to absorb the resulting expenses (e.g. fire, flood, drought, death, desertion, major accident);

Telstra respects the independence of the agency’s assessment. The decision by the agency whether issue or not issue a Certificate to an applicant shall be final (except in the case of fraud or significant departure from these Guidelines).

WHEN CAN CERTIFICATES BE USED?• TBAP Certificates are issued in the individual

customer’s name and are not transferable or redeemable for cash. They must be used only against the customer’s Telstra consumer bill(s), and only in favour of the customer who is named on the certificate.

• If the Telstra bill relates to an Account Number that is 13 digits long, then Certificates can be used towards payment of a personal Telstra Mobile (post-paid only), BigPond Internet and Home phone bills.

• If the Telstra Bill relates to an Account Number that is only 10 digits long, then Certificates can only be used towards a Home Phone bill (but including Single Bills that have a Home Phone as part of the bundle).

• TBAP Certificates cannot be applied against Telstra Business Accounts or FOXTEL from Telstra Accounts.

• However, TBAP Certificates may be applied against a Telstra Business service, e.g. for a farming family, if the same service is the primary home, mobile or internet service used by a family and only to the extent that the bill relates to the non-business phone or internet use by a family. It is not intended that TBAP Certificates be issued to cover the business use of the phone service.

HAVE YOU FILLED IN THE CERTIFICATE CORRECTLY?How to issue a TBAP Certificate – a step by step guide for agencies

Certificates issued need to be completed with the following information:

Customer’s Telstra account number

(ensure 13 digit account number if mobile only or internet only bill)

Date certificates are issued

Customer name

Total number of Certificates issued against that bill (including this one)

Note: total number of Certificates must not exceed 10 ($500) on any one bill or in any one month.

Case worker ID and signature

Name of community agency

Agency contact number

Complete details on certificate butt

Where multiple Certificates are issued, only the first butt needs to be completed and the following butts appropriately noted. The butts are to be kept by the agency as a record of assessment.

Customer’s original Telstra bill must be endorsed with:

Your agency stamp (or by writing the name of the issuing community agency)

Certificate amount issued for the bill

Case worker signature

Date certificates are issued

Tear off the remittance slip from the Telstra Bill and attach it to the Certificates Certificates cannot be processed without the remittance slip

This information provides confirmation that the Certificate(s) has been issued against that particular bill and is a checking mechanism if a client is seeking assistance from multiple agencies.

Where, unknowingly, Certificates have been issued by different community agencies against the same bill number, Telstra reserves the right to disallow the value of the Certificates issued by the second and subsequent agencies and reinstate on the customer’s account an amount up to the value of the Certificates. The value of disallowed Certificates will not be credited back to the issuing agencies.

telstra.com.au/accessforeveryone

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM

FSCPAPER

CERTIFICATIONWILL BEINSERTED

HERE

TELSTRA BILL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATING AGENCIES

VERSION 1 - 2015

WHAT ABOUT A DISCONNECTED SERVICE OR A DEBT THAT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO A COLLECTION AGENCY?If a customer’s Telstra service has been recently disconnected, the customer should be advised to call Telstra on 13 2200 to determine if TBAP Certificates can be used to help pay their bill so that their service can be reconnected.

TBAP Certificates cannot be issued against letters of demand or other documents from mercantile agents or debt collection companies. Debt collection agencies/mercantile agents will not accept TBAP Certificates as payment for outstanding debts.

WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM ASSISTANCE AMOUNT?The total value of the Certificates issued on any Telstra bill must not exceed the amount owed by the customer to Telstra on that bill (unless the amount owed by the customer is less than $50 and must not exceed 10 Certificates ($500) on any one bill or in any one month).

Where the total value of the Certificates issued to an individual exceeds the amount owed to Telstra by the customer on that Telstra bill, the excess cannot be applied as a credit on the customer’s account or against other Telstra services on separate bills.

WHAT IF A CUSTOMER IS APPLYING FOR MAXIMUM ASSISTANCE OR MORE THAN ONCE?The purpose of TBAP is to provide customers in financial hardship with short term financial assistance. It is not intended to be ongoing income support. Ongoing allocations of TBAP to the same customer may be regarded as a breach of these guidelines. Where possible, customers should make some financial contribution to the settlement of the account so that, in conjunction with the TBAP Certificate(s), the Telstra account is paid in full.

1. The maximum number of Certificates issued against any one Telstra bill or in any one month cannot exceed 10 Certificates ($500). Any amounts over $500 may not be processed.

2. If you are aware that the customer has received TBAP assistance more than five times (including from other agencies) please contact Telstra’s Specialised Assistance Team (SAT) on 1800 045 092, while the customer is with you.*

The SAT will work with you to find the right product, service and payment solutions to get the customer back on track and maintain their Telstra service.

Please note: this number is only intended to be used by community workers for cases where a customer has received TBAP assistance multiple times. Please do not use this number for general enquiries as the number is not resourced to deal with all enquiries and your calls may slow down the process for others.

*As part of Telstra’s commitment to maintaining our customers’ privacy, we will only discuss an account with the customer or his or her authorised representative.

MANAGING YOUR ALLOCATION OF TBAP CERTIFICATESIt is the responsibility of the agency to manage their distribution of Certificates as evenly as possible throughout the financial year. For example, after six months of the grant year, approximately half of the Certificates should still be available for distribution over the second half of the year. However, it is recognised that agencies may experience heavier demand at certain times of the year.

The agency can only issue Certificates during the 12 month period printed on the Certificates, that is, from July 1 through to June 30 in the relevant year.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON A TELSTRA BILL WHEN ASSESSING AN APPLICATIONYou will need to ask the customer to show you a current Telstra bill for a consumer service to enable assessment. You should check the Account Number (not the telephone number) to see if it is 13 digits or 10 digits long (as described in the ‘When can certificates be used?’ section of these guidelines).

Please don’t accept copies. Only an original bill or notice issued by Telstra, including a remittance slip, should be accepted by the agency for use in assessment. This may include an original payment reminder notice or a disconnection notice. Telstra online billing customers should present a printed online bill summary page for use in assessment.

The Telstra bill or Telstra notice must have a bill number and be in a personal name and show a consumer service (except for small business farming families as described in the ‘When can certificates be used?’ section of these guidelines).

If a copy of a Telstra bill is required, the agency should advise the customer to contact Telstra on 13 2200.

HOW TO REMIT CERTIFICATES1. TBAP Certificates, along with the original Telstra bill

remittance advice or online bill summary page, must be sent in the reply paid envelope provided.

2. or in a self addressed envelope (no stamp needed) and posted to: Telstra Corporation Limited Reply Paid 9901 Melbourne VIC 8060

Certificates will not be accepted by Australia Post.

TBAP Certificates must not be sent to any other address, including mercantile agents or debt collection companies. These agencies cannot process the Certificates and will not accept them.

To immediately report a payment on their account, the customer can contact Telstra on 13 2200 and say “report a payment”.

HOW TO ORDER MORE ENVELOPESEnvelopes can be ordered via the order form available at: www.telstra.com.au/accessforeveryone

Click on the ‘Information for Community Agencies’ tab

TELSTRA CREDIT MANAGEMENTTo discuss payment options please advise the customer to contact Telstra on 13 2200 and say “payment options”.

TBAP CERTIFICATE ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS• Redeemable only against account number noted on the

Certificate.

• No change or credit is given where the value of issued certificates exceeds the amount(s) due.

• The Certificate will not be valid if it has been copied, altered or tampered with.

• Telstra may reject the Certificate if it was issued contrary to these guidelines.

WHAT HAPPENS TO LEFT-OVER CERTIFICATES NOT ISSUED WITHIN THE FINANCIAL YEAR?Unused certificates must be voided and securely disposed of by the agency after 30 June expiry, each year.

THEFT, LOSS OR FRAUDIf Certificates are lost or stolen, or if you suspect fraud, the agency is to immediately notify Telstra on Email: F1500684@team.telstra.com

Please provide a list of the missing serial numbers of the Certificates, which will then be cancelled by Telstra and are not redeemable.

TBAP POLICY MATTERSAny enquiries about these terms and conditions should be directed to Telstra Bill Assistance Program: Phone: 1800 804 591 Email: consumer.affairs@team.telstra.com

SECURITY AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS1. At the commencement of the program year Community agencies are to record the serial numbers

of the TBAP Certificates issued to them by Telstra or their lead agency.

2. At the end of the program year The Certificate records, including butts, must be kept

in a secure place for seven years and be available if required for inspection by Telstra or its auditor.

WHAT DO I DO IF THERE’S A QUESTION WHETHER THE TBAP PAYMENT HAS BEEN PROCESSED BY TELSTRA?Please check:

Were the certificate/s issued against a 13 digit Telstra consumer customer bill? (Older 10 digit accounts are only eligible if they have a home phone service on the account. Most business accounts are not eligible.)

If the certificates were issued in error the customer should contact the issuing agency for emergency relief assistance.

If the certificates were issued just before, on or after the customer’s bill issue date (noted on the bill), the payment may not appear until the next bill.

Has the customer checked their account balance with Telstra after allowing a suitable time for postage and processing of the certificates?

Telstra Self Service over the phone is an easy way for customers to check their account at any time of the day or night by calling 13 2200 and saying “I want my account balance”.

A customer can view their outstanding balance online by registering for My Account at: telstra.com/myaccount. It may take up to 48 hours for a payment they’ve made to show up on their online account.

How were the certificates sent to Telstra? By post? In the supplied envelope? When and from where? Through a Telstra store? When and which one (this may result in delays)? Note that Australia Post Offices cannot process these Certificates.

If it appears that the customer is eligible and the certificates have been lost in transit, the issuing Community Agency should email the details to Telstra consumer.affairs@team.telstra.com including the customer bill number, the date of issue and a list of the serial numbers of the missing Telstra Bill Assistance Certificates. Telstra will investigate and discuss a resolution with the agency.

If the customer’s account is at risk of disconnection due to the loss of Bill Assistance Certificates they should call Telstra on 13 2200 and say “I want a payment extension” and discuss the situation with Telstra.

™ and ® are trademarks and registered trademarks of Telstra Corporation Limited. ABN 33 051 775 556.C156 2015

Who we help How we help Where to get help

Pensioners (who have a Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card, Pensioner Concession Card (blue), Department of Veteran Affairs Gold Card.

Concessions are available to customers who are pensioners and live in their own home/unit.

Call Sydney Water Contact Centre 13 20 92

Customers receiving income support who prefer to have direct bill payments deducted from their Centrelink payments.

Centrepay is a free direct bill-paying service. Customers can choose to pay bills by having a regular amount deducted from their Centrelink payments. This may help some customers with their financial management.

Call Sydney Water Contact Centre 13 20 92

Customers who experience unexpected financial difficulty.

Payment arrangements can be made for customers, such as deferring payment for a short time, making a regular payment arrangement, or referring them to a community agency for help.

Call Sydney Water Contact Centre 13 20 92

Customers experiencing financial hardship who own and occupy their own home or private tenants responsible for paying their water use.

The Payment Assistance Scheme is available for eligible customers. Community agencies assess customer eligibility and a payment will be credited directly to the customer’s account. Customers must have a payment plan after receiving PAS once within 12 months.

Contact accredited community agencies

Call 13 20 92 to locate a participating agency near you.

Customers who experience sudden large bill increases and high water use or those with longer-term payment difficulties.

BillAssist™ is a customer assistance program that provides case coordinators (qualified community service professionals) to give personalised support, advice and payment assistance.

Community sector can call BillAssist hotline:1800 222 280

Fax: 9616 2434 or email  billassist@sydneywater.com.auCustomers to call 13 20 92

Customers in financial hardship who need emergency or essential plumbing repairs.

PlumbAssist™ is a plumbing service offering urgent/essential repairs to eligible customers in financial hardship.

Community sector can call BillAssist hotline:1800 222 280

Fax: 9616 2434 or email  billassist@sydneywater.com.auCustomers to call 13 20 92

Customers in financial difficulty who have a CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) background.

An Interpreter Service is provided free of charge in some community languages.

Call Sydney Water Contact Centre 13 20 92

Payment AssistanceProgram Summary

!

* For community service agency staff and volunteers only.

Payment Assistance Scheme Guidelines for community agencies

The Payment Assistance Scheme (PAS) helps customers to pay their bill when they are in financial crisis. This guide will help you assess customers for the PAS.

Who is eligible for the PAS?

Customers in financial crisis are eligible for the Payment Assistance Scheme. They must provide you with the original or a photocopy of their Sydney Water bill.

Property owners

Owner-occupiers can receive assistance for the service and usage charges on their water bill. This assistance is not available for customers who own more than one property.

Private tenants

Private tenants can only receive this assistance to help pay water usage charges. Under the Residential Tenancies Act:

Landlords can only ask tenants to pay for water usage charges, if it is in their lease.

The property must be individually metered.

The landlord/agent must give the tenant a copy of the water bill.

Under the Privacy and Personal Information Act 1998 (PPIPA), the owner or managing agent must give permission in writing for Sydney Water to disclose information. This includes the account number and other account information.

Public and community housing tenants are not eligible for the PAS as Sydney Water bills the property owners. Tenants should contact their housing authority for assistance.

How much?

PAS allocation limits – per quarter

Owner-occupiers – $25 minimum to $300 maximum.

Private tenants – $25 minimum to $150 maximum.

What if the customer needs more?

If you believe a customer is in extreme hardship and needs more than $300, you can ask Sydney Water for an exception for the customer.

If the customer’s bill is over $500 a quarter, notify Sydney Water on *1800 222 280, so we can check why the bill is so high. If the customer’s plumbing needs repairs, but they are experiencing financial difficulty, you can refer them to Sydney Water’s PlumbAssist program. Sydney Waters BillAssist team will assess the PlumbAssist referral.

What information to provide

Provide customers seeking assistance with the following:

Help in times of financial difficulty – Sydney Water

Waterwise information – Sydney Water

First time PAS users

First time PAS users may receive assistance and will be offered a payment arrangement. They do not have to agree to a payment arrangement.

Multiple time PAS users

Multiple time PAS users (who have already used PAS within the year) must agree to a payment arrangement, before Sydney Water will approve assistance.

How to assess the customer

1. The customer contacts Sydney Water or an approved community agency.

2. To assess the customer, follow these guidelines and use the checklists:

Hardship assessment checklist

PAS assessment process checklist

3. Approve a specific amount of payment assistance for the customer. Offer the customer a payment arrangement and if they accept, record the details.

4. Contact Sydney Water on the BillAssist and PAS hotline – *1800 222 280. Sydney Water BillAssist staff will credit the account with the approved amount and organise the payment arrangement if agreed to.

5. If the customer is not eligible for PAS, the agency may offer other assistance and/or refer them to BillAssist where relevant.

How to credit the customer’s account

Once you complete the assessment and have allocated a specific amount of payment assistance:

1. Contact Sydney Water’s BillAssist and PAS Hotline on *1800 222 280.

2. Identify yourself and your agency.

3A. For first time PAS users:

If you have completed the PAS assessment, ask Sydney Water to apply the PAS credit to the customer’s account

If you have not completed the PAS assessment, ask Sydney Water’s BillAssist Case Coordinators to assess the customer. If the customer is eligible, they will apply the PAS credit to the customer’s account.

Once the assessment is complete, Sydney Water will apply the credit, and ask about a payment arrangement for the rest of the bill.

Sydney Water will organise the payment arrangement, if the customer agrees. This is voluntary for first time PAS users.

3.B For multiple time PAS users:

If you have assessed the customer and they have agreed to a payment arrangement, ask Sydney Water to apply the PAS credit and organise the payment arrangement for the rest of the bill. Multiple time PAS users must agree to a payment arrangement.

If you have not completed the assessment, ask Sydney Water’s BillAssist Case Coordinators to assess the customer.

Once the assessment is complete and the customer agrees to a payment arrangement, Sydney Water will apply the credit to the account and organise the payment arrangement.

What other help is available?

There are a number of options to help Sydney Water customers experiencing payment difficulties. These include Centrepay, payment plans, payment extensions, pension concessions, BillAssist and PlumbAssist.

To apply for a concession the customer must have a pension concession card issued by Centrelink or a Department of Veterans Affairs Gold Card embossed with TPI/TTI, Blinded, War Widow, EDA or Blue Card.

Customers should contact Sydney Water if they believe they are eligible.

Other government and community agencies

Credit and Debt Hotline: 1800 007 007

Financial Counsellors Association of NSW (FCAN): 1800 007 007

No Interest Loans Schemes (NILS): Freecall 1800 509 994

Energy Information Line: 1300 136 888 to find out about energy rebates and other energy assistance.

Useful energy website: www.cutyourpowerbills.nsw.gov.au

Hardship assessment checklist

Hardship indicators

No. Payment difficulty category

1 Low income

2 Past PAS use

3 Pensioner concession

Circumstance related indicators

4 Change in employment circumstance e.g. unemployment, reduced hours

5 Illness or disability (physical, mental or intellectual)

6 Bereavement such as loss of a family member

7 Change in family circumstances

8 Relationship breakdown

9 Refugee or asylum seeker

10 Other extraordinary circumstances e.g. fire, flood, accident

Payment Assistance SchemeAssessment checklist for agencies

Customer name: Sydney Water account number: Property address:

Contact number (h) (m)

Is the customer an owner-occupier private tenant public/community housing tenant

Note: If the customer is a public or community housing tenant, they are not eligible for payment assistance. They can contact their relevant housing authority for assistance.

Does the customer own more than one property?

Yes No

Does the customer receive Centrelink payments?

Yes No

Owner-occupier: Is there a pension rebate on the bill?

Yes No

Tenant: Do they have: a Sydney Water bill tenancy agreement and a bill

letter from agent showing property address, water usage period and charge

Who lives in the property?

Number of adults (over 16)

Number of children

Hardship indicators – tick as many as apply

Payment difficulty Low income Pension concession Past PAS use

Circumstances Bereavement CALD Change of employment Change in family circumstances

Illness/disability Long term financial hardship Refugee/asylum seeker Relationship breakdown

Other extraordinary circumstances (fire, flood, accident etc)

Comments

If yes, do not proceed. Multiple property owners are not eligible for PAS

Have you given the customer information about BillAssist?

Yes No

Has customer had PAS this quarter?

Yes No If yes, do not proceed unless extreme circumstances.

Has customer had PAS in the last 12 months?

Yes No If yes, they will need a payment plan.

Does the customer agree to go on a payment plan?

Yes No Amount: $

Have you discussed CentrePay?

Yes No

Have you offered: EAPA Yes No

Emergency assistance

Yes No

Financial counselling Yes No

Other (enter comments)

Are there any leaks on the property?

Yes No If yes – refer to Sydney Water for a PlumbAssist assessment.

Outcome

PAS Approved Declined Amount Assessed by Agency Name: Phone: Date of assessment BillAssist Case Coordinator

Declaration

I confirm I have assessed the customer named on this form to determine if they are eligible for payment assistance from Sydney Water. I confirm all information contained in this assessment is correct.

Notes

• At the end of your assessment, please call BillAssist on 1800 222 280. You can also email thisform to billassist@sydneywater.com.au or fax to (02) 9616 2434.

• Agencies must keep a copy of this form for two years from date of assessment for audit purposes

• If you would like more resources or training, or you have any questions regarding the program,contact paymentassistanceprogram@sydneywater.com.au or call Patricia Sullivan on 8849 6336.

per:

$

Payment Assistance Scheme (PAS)

Finalising payments

BillAssist & PAS hotline: 1800 222 280 (Monday – Friday, 9.00 am – 5.00 pm)

Leaving a voicemail When you call the BillAssist and PAS hotline (community service workers and volunteers only), you can leave a message if the line is busy.

The more information you leave the quicker we can finalise the PAS transaction.

Please make sure you include your:

• name (if you are calling from the customer’s house, you may leave only your first name) • organisation’s name • contact details • customer’s information, including:

o customer’s name and phone number o customer’s consent for you to talk to Sydney Water on their behalf o Sydney Water account number o whether they are an owner or private tenant o the amount of PAS you have agreed to o the details of any payment arrangements you have agreed to.

St Vincent de Paul agencies Please ensure you also include the name of your Central Council and Conference and your Executive Officer’s details in the voicemail as shown below:

Central Council Phone Executive Officer Broken Bay (02) 9415 1492 Maureen Roast Parramatta (02) 8861 9747 Susan Goldie Sydney (02) 9350 9600 Graeme Roche Wollongong (02) 9820 8223 Debbie Nixon

Arranging payments The BillAssist team will organise the PAS payment directly to the customer’s account. They will not contact you unless there is an issue or they require further information.

If BillAssist need to register the customer for Centrepay, they will contact the customer directly.

.

Authority to Act Please return to BillAssist Sydney Water PO Box 399 Parramatta NSW 2124 Fax: 9616 2434 Email: billassist@sydneywater.com.au IMPORTANT:

In signing this form you authorise the person nominated below to act on your behalf with Sydney Water.

When you appoint a person to act on your behalf Sydney Water may:

• seek information from that person • provide information to that person • deal with that person as though they were dealing with you.

You can change or cancel this authority at any time by contact Sydney Water on 13 20 92.

Authorisation

I/we [INSERT YOUR NAME]

authorise

[INSERT PERSON’S NAME]

[INSERT PERSON’S POSITION OR RELATIONSHIP TO YOU]

of

[INSERT PERSON’S ADDRESS]

To act on my behalf in relation to my Sydney Water bill – Account No:

Please sign and return to Sydney Water thank you.

YOUR NAME (please print):

YOUR CONTACT NUMBER:

SYDNEY WATER REFERENCE NUMBER:

YOUR SIGNATURE:

Authority form current as at 1 July 2013 Page 1 of 1

Costs and charges – who pays

Under the terms of the standard residential tenancy agreement, the landlord agrees to pay the costs or charges for:

• installation for initial connection to an electricity, water, gas, bottled gas supply service

• supply of electricity or gas (except bottled gas) if the premises are not separately metered

• supply or hire of gas bottles at the start of the tenancy

• supply of a water service

• supply of sewerage services (other than pump-out of septic tank)

• maintenance of a gas supply, if the landlord does not provide gas appliances and the tenant does not use any gas.

You agree to pay for:

• supply of electricity or gas (except bottled gas) if the premises are separately metered

• supply of bottled gas

• pumping out the septic tank.

Water usage charges are a special case – see below. Also see below about telephone, television and internet connections.

Electricity and gas

Where premises are separately metered, you pay for electricity or gas. If not, you cannot be charged for electricity or gas. (See sample letter ‘Electricity bill – no separate meter’.)

If you are being charged for electricity or gas used in common areas or adjoining premises, you can negotiate with landlord for compensation. If this fails, apply to the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal (CTTT) for orders that the landlord do repairs in order to stop this from continuing and for compensation. Contact your local Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service (TAAS) for help.

Bottled gas

If the premises are supplied by bottled gas, the landlord pays for the gas bottles at the start of the tenancy. They are responsible for upkeep of the connection to the premises. You pay for your gas usage.

Water usage – who pays

Premises are

Who paysSeparately metered1 Water efficient2

yes yes tenant

yes no landlord3

no yes landlordno no landlord

1. Includes where premises are not connected to the water supply and water is delivered by vehicle.

2. Premises have prescribed water efficiency measures installed.

3. See below about tenancies started before 31 January 2011.

Water efficiency The legally prescribed water efficiency measures are:

• a maximum flow-rate of 9 litres per minute for all internal cold-water taps and single mixer taps for kitchen and bathroom sinks and for all showerheads

• no leaking taps at the start of the tenancy or when water efficiency measures are installed – whichever is later.

Tenancies started before 31 January 2011 You can be asked to pay for water usage until 31 January 2012, whether or not the premises are water efficient. After this date, you can only be asked to pay if water efficiency measures have been installed.

Billing for water usage You are only required to pay for water usage if the landlord bills you correctly. They must:

• give you a copy of the bill from the water supplier (or other evidence) showing the cost of water used

• give you at least 21 days to pay

• request payment within 3 months of receiving the bill from the supplier.

Unpaid water charges If Sydney Water is the supplier and the landlord fails to pay the charges as required, you can pay the outstanding charges in lieu of rent. Receipts from Sydney Water count as rent receipts. (See sample letter ‘Unpaid Sydney Water charges’.)

Social housing tenants If the premises are not separately metered, you must pay for water usage as determined by ministerial guidelines.

UtilitiesAs a tenant you have rights under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 and Residential Tenancies Regulation 2010. This factsheet explains the law in NSW about power, water and telecommunications services in rented premises.

TENANTS RIGHTS FACTSHEET 23

23: Utilities 2010

FURTHER HELP: Tenants Advice and Advocacy ServicesSydney•Inner 96985975•InnerWest 95592899•South 97874679•SouthWest46281678•East 93869147•West 88330911•North 98849605•NorthWest 94132677

Regional•BlueMountains 1300363967•CentralCoast 43535515•Hunter 46967666•IllawarraSthCoast42743475•MidNorthCoast 65839866•NorthernRivers 66211022•NorthwestNSW1800836268•SouthwestNSW1800642609

Aboriginal•Sydney 95690222•WestNSW 1800810233•SouthNSW 1800672185•NorthNSW 1800248913

Older persons1800131310

Website www.tenants.org.au

NSW Fair Trading 133 220

This factsheet is intended as a guide to the law and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice. It applies to people who live in, or are affected by, the law as it applies in New South Wales, Australia. © Tenants’ Union of NSW

Water tanks

For the premises to be habitable, the landlord should ensure the tank has water in it at the start of your tenancy. Note the water level on the condition report. You are responsible for refilling the tank, if needed.

The landlord is responsible for the tank’s upkeep. Regularly check the tank, pipes and gutters and report any problems to the landlord/agent.

If they fail to do needed repairs and water is then lost or contaminated, you can apply to the CTTT for compensation for the cost of replacement water. You can also seek a rent reduction for withdrawal of facilities.

Septic tanks

You are responsible for pumping out the septic tank when it becomes full as a result of your usage.

Astandardtankshouldneedemptyingevery3–5years with normal usage. If a tank needs emptying a few months into the tenancy, it may be that it is faulty or the previous occupant did not empty it. Write to landlord/agent asking for it to be repaired or emptied.

Telephone, television and internet connections

A landlord is not required to provide telephone, television or internet connections with the premises.

Existing phone/TV/internet sockets are facilities provided with the premises for use of the tenant. As such, the landlord is obliged to provide such facilities in reasonable condition and to maintain them – unless this is specifically excluded in the tenancy agreement. (AlsoseeFactsheet06:Repairs and maintenance.)

In the case Varghese v Liang & Huang (Tenancy) [2008]NSWCTTT973,thepremiseshadaphonesocket. The tenant assumed there was a working landline but there was not. The CTTT found that the landlord is responsible for ensuring a landline is available unless there is a specific exclusion in the tenancy agreement.

At the start of the tenancy, note on the condition report whether or not socket/s work. If they do not, negotiate with the landlord/agent about having them fixed. Get any agreement in writing.

Repairs The landlord is responsible for repairs to a connectionprovidedwiththepremises.However,as a customer of the supplier, you may have to arrange for the repairs, pay for them and then seek reimbursement from the landlord. Negotiate a written agreement with the landlord/agent in advance.

New connections If you want a new connection installed you must have the landlord’s consent. They must not unreasonably withhold consent if the work required for the installation is of a ‘minor nature’ (see the NSW Fair Trading factsheet ‘Asking to make an alteration’ at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au).

You will have to pay for installation (although the landlord may agree to pay or contribute to the cost).

You pay for repairs to connections you have installed.

Landlord must not interfere with supplyA landlord/agent who interferes with the supply of gas, electricity, water, telecommunications or other services to the premises is in breach of the tenancy agreement (unless it is to avoid danger to any person or for maintenance or repairs).

You can apply to the CTTT for order/s that:

a. the landlord/agent stop interfering with supply

b. the landlord/agent undertake repairs or take other action to restore supply

c. you are compensated for interference with your reasonable peace, comfort and privacy.

d. the rent is reduced for the time you were without a service due to interference by the landlord/agent.

For (a), (b) and (c) apply within 3 months of the breach. For (d) apply any time before the end of the tenancy. Contact your local TAAS for help.

Disputes over billsIf there is dispute over payment of an account and the supplier threatens disconnection, consider writing to them to explain the situation. Include supporting documentation. The following bodies may be of help:

• Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW: phone 1800246545,www.ewon.com.au

• Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman: phone 1800062058,www.tio.com.au September 2011

TENANTS RIGHTS FACTSHEET 23: Utilities 2010