Financial Hardship
Definition of Hardship
The Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP) defines financial hardship as:
“a situation where a Customer is unable to discharge the financial obligations owed… under their Customer Contract or otherwise discharge the financial obligations owed… to a Supplier, due to illness, unemployment or other reasonable cause; and the Customer believes that they are able to discharge those obligations if the relevant payment arrangements or other arrangements relating to the supply of Telecommunications Products by the Supplier to the Customer are changed.”
Zintel Communications Pty Ltd Commitment to Your Business
Zintel is committed to providing your business with flexibility when it comes to paying its bills during times of financial hardship because we recognise that sometimes unforeseen events may affect your ability to pay us for services your business has used.
Zintel’s financial hardship assistance policy provides your business with a range of payment options so it can stay connected now and in the future. This policy covers recent unforeseen circumstances that impact on your businesses financial commitments. Such circumstances may include sudden illness, unemployment or other reasonable cause, e.g. a death in your family.
We will work with you to set up a solution that will help you manage the payment of an outstanding amount your business may have or a Zintel bill that you are expecting in the near future, e.g. we can discuss a payment arrangement over a period of time so you don’t have to pay the whole amount at once. We will also discuss ways in which you can stay in control of your on-going Toll Free usage such as call barring on certain products and services and budgeting options.
To assess your request for hardship assistance, we will need you to provide us with your account details and other personal information so that we can identify you as the account holder of the service. Depending on your circumstances, we may also require documentation in support of the information you provide to us as part of your request (e.g. a letter from your doctor if your hardship is due to illness). We will advise you of the supporting information required when we discuss your request for assistance with you.
How Zintel Will Assess Your Situation
Generally, we will assess your request for financial hardship assistance based on your individual financial circumstances. In order to do this, we will need to ask you about your current financial circumstances, your income details, how long you think the situation will continue and the types of services and products you need. We will also assess your service usage level to ensure that you are aware of your service options and able to control the amount of your future Zintel bills. We will then work with you to establish a solution for managing the payment of any outstanding Zintel bills or any that you are expecting in the near future.
If your business is facing financial difficulty, you may wish to consider obtaining advice from a community financial counsellor or seek assistance from a participating community welfare organization. A list of community financial counselling services is available on the Financial Counselling Australia website: http://www.financialcounsellingaustralia.org.au. You can also talk to a free and independent financial counsellor from anywhere in Australia by calling 1800 007 007 (Monday to Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm).
If your business is experiencing financial difficulty and you wish to discuss Zintel’s payment options we are available for you, call us on 1800 946 835 and ask to speak to our accounts team.
How to Appoint an Authorised Representative
Your business is responsible for your service. However, you may engage others to assist you to manage the service. You must advise us if you would like to appoint others to act on behalf of your business, including advising us what actions they may perform on behalf of your business. Liability for the service remains with your business.
How to find out more
By Phone
Hardship Inquiries: 1800 946 835
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 8.30am – 5.00pm EST
By Mail
Zintel
Locked Bag 3700
St Leonards NSW 1590