Payment Assistance Policy

1. Purpose and who can apply

This Policy is established under the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024. It is intended to help eligible residential, small-business and not-for-profit customers who are unable, or at risk of becoming unable, to meet financial commitments to Alder while maintaining access to telecommunications products or dealing with debt owed to Alder.

Financial difficulty may be short-term or long-term and can arise from circumstances such as loss of income, illness, disability, caring responsibilities, unexpected expenses, natural disaster, domestic/family/sexual violence, bereavement, business disruption or another change in circumstances. You do not need to fit a particular life-event category to ask for help.

Prepaid and postpaid customers can seek assistance where the Standard applies. The form of assistance will depend on the product and circumstances.

2. How to contact Alder for payment assistance

You can start a payment-assistance request using any of these channels:

• Phone: 03 4332 5184 during Alder support hours.
• Email: [email protected].
• My Alder: open Billing and select the payment-assistance option, or submit a Billing / Payment support request.

If you use another Alder support channel and indicate that you are struggling to pay, staff will direct or transfer the matter into the payment-assistance process rather than requiring you to start again.

3. Proactively identifying customers who may need assistance

Alder trains relevant staff to recognise indicators that a customer may be experiencing financial difficulty. Indicators may include a customer saying they cannot afford a bill, repeated missed payments, requests for repeated extensions, a sudden inability to maintain an existing arrangement, or another circumstance that reasonably suggests financial hardship.

Where we are aware a customer may be experiencing hardship, we will provide information about this Policy and how to contact personnel authorised to discuss assistance. We will not make adverse assumptions merely because a customer asks for help.

4. Information and supporting evidence

We only ask for information reasonably relevant to assessing appropriate assistance. This may include the amount you can realistically afford, when your circumstances may change, which services are important to retain, and whether there are safety, accessibility or other factors we should consider.

For longer-term or more complex arrangements, Alder may ask for limited supporting information only where reasonably necessary. Any request must be relevant and not unduly onerous. We will explain why information is needed and provide a safe way to supply it. We do not require unnecessary details about domestic, family or sexual violence.

5. How we assess an application

Assessment is fair, individual and focused on realistic assistance. We consider:

• your ability to pay without causing unreasonable hardship;
• whether difficulty is short-term, ongoing or uncertain;
• the importance of keeping essential telecommunications services connected;
• the amount owing and upcoming service charges;
• which Alder products you need to retain;
• any previous assistance arrangements and what changed;
• DFSV, disability, health, natural disaster, caring or other vulnerability circumstances you ask us to consider;
• whether a lower-cost service or spend control would better match your current needs; and
• any other matter reasonably relevant to tailoring an arrangement.

An application is not rejected simply because you have previously needed assistance.

6. Assessment and decision timeframes

Alder will complete an assessment as soon as practicable and, in any event, within 5 business days after receiving the application and information reasonably required for the assessment. We will tell you the outcome as soon as practicable and, in any event, within 2 business days after completing the assessment.

If we need more information, we will clearly tell you what is required. If it becomes clear that a requested form of assistance cannot be offered, we will still consider other suitable assistance rather than treating the application as closed without discussion.

7. Assistance options available

Alder maintains a range of assistance options. The right option depends on your circumstances; not every option will be appropriate in every case. We will discuss realistic options rather than presenting a fixed menu.

The compulsory assistance options of payment deferral/extension and a tailored payment plan are always part of the range Alder can consider for an eligible hardship customer.

8. Agreeing an arrangement

Before an arrangement is agreed, Alder will discuss the proposed amount, frequency and duration of payments; the services that will remain active; any changes to plan or features; the treatment of existing debt; and what will happen if the arrangement cannot be maintained.

An arrangement must be realistic and sustainable having regard to the information available. We will not knowingly set a payment schedule that requires you to pay more than you have told us you can reasonably afford simply to clear the debt faster.

9. Written confirmation of an arrangement

When a financial hardship arrangement is agreed, Alder will provide written confirmation within the timeframe required by the Financial Hardship Standard. The confirmation will record, as applicable:

• the agreed payment or assistance arrangement;
• the start date, duration and payment dates/amounts;
• your rights and obligations and Alder’s commitments;
• the treatment of services and existing debt;
• how to contact us if your situation changes;
• that you should tell us within 14 days if a relevant change in circumstances affects the arrangement;
• your ability to ask for the arrangement to be reviewed when circumstances change;
• complaint and review options; and
• relevant external support information.

10. If circumstances change

Tell us as soon as possible if your circumstances change and the existing arrangement is no longer realistic. The written arrangement will ask you to notify us of a relevant change within 14 days. We will review the arrangement and discuss alternative assistance where appropriate.

Asking for a review is not treated as a failure of the arrangement. We prefer to adjust an arrangement before it becomes unmanageable.

11. Connection, credit management, suspension and debt collection

Keeping customers connected is a priority. Alder will use suspension or disconnection for non-payment only as a last resort and only after applicable financial-hardship, complaint and notice requirements have been considered.

We will not sell or assign a debt in circumstances prohibited by the Financial Hardship Standard, including while an applicable active financial hardship arrangement or protected engagement prevents that action. We will not take credit-management action in relation to a genuinely disputed amount while an urgent complaint about that amount must be resolved first.

If a customer does not engage with an agreed arrangement and does not respond to reasonable attempts to review it, normal credit-management processes may eventually resume, subject to law and any other protection applying to the account.

12. Domestic, family or sexual violence and other vulnerability

Financial abuse and service control can be part of domestic, family or sexual violence. If you tell us you are affected, we will apply our Safe Support protections, check how it is safe to contact you, avoid unnecessary evidence requests, and consider account, debt and payment options with safety as a priority.

We also take account of disability, serious illness, bereavement, natural disaster, unemployment, caring responsibilities and other vulnerability that affects ability to pay or stay connected.

13. Authorised representatives, interpreters and accessibility

You may use an authorised representative, financial counsellor, advocate or support worker. We will verify authority in a way that is proportionate to the request and does not create unnecessary barriers. If you need communication support, tell us. We can work with an interpreter, the National Relay Service or another reasonable support arrangement.

14. Review, complaints and the TIO

If you disagree with a decision on your application or arrangement, ask Alder to review it or make a complaint under our Complaints Handling Policy. If the complaint concerns financial hardship and the issue could worsen your financial position, or another urgent criterion applies, it may be handled as an urgent complaint.

Making a complaint to Alder, asking us to review a decision, or complaining to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman does not prevent you from agreeing to a financial hardship arrangement.

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your complaint, you have the right to take it to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, which is a free and independent service. Call 1800 062 058 or visit tio.com.au.

15. Free independent financial support

You can obtain free, independent financial counselling through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 or ndh.org.au. MoneySmart also provides information about managing bills and debt. You do not need to contact a financial counsellor before Alder will assess an application.

16. Records, confidentiality and staff training

Alder keeps records of financial hardship applications and arrangements as required by the Financial Hardship Standard. Access is limited to staff who need the information for assistance, billing, complaints, compliance or another lawful purpose. We do not use hardship information for unrelated marketing.

Staff who deal directly with customers are trained on this Policy, the Financial Hardship Standard, identifying potential hardship, available assistance options, DFSV considerations, complaints and escalation. We review our processes and training when regulatory requirements or service processes materially change.