Centrepay Incorrect Payment Management Procedure

Oxford Agency is committed to ensuring all Centrepay deductions received on behalf of tenants are accurate, properly authorised, correctly allocated and applied only toward eligible rental or accommodation-related payments.

This procedure outlines how Oxford Agency will identify, prevent, manage and rectify incorrect Centrepay payments in accordance with the Centrepay Terms of Use and applicable Services Australia requirements.

Policy Availability and Access

Our Incorrect Payment Policy is available on display at our office, and when you complete forms to use Centrepay with Oxford Agency. We will also provide a copy of this policy within 5 business days of receiving a request.

1. Identifying Incorrect PaymentsOxford Agency will monitor and reconcile Centrepay payments received against individual tenant ledgers and the applicable tenancy records.

Our accounts and property management team will review Centrepay transactions and tenant accounts to identify discrepancies including:

• payments received without a valid Centrepay Deduction Authority;
• duplicate payments;
• payments exceeding the amount currently due or authorised;
• payments received after a tenancy has ended;
• payments incorrectly allocated to another tenant or property;
• payments received for goods or services not permitted under Centrepay;
• payments that result in an unexplained or unreasonable credit balance; and
• any other payment that does not correspond with the tenant’s authorised Centrepay arrangement or rental obligations.

Where a credit balance is identified, Oxford Agency will review the tenant’s ledger and tenancy obligations to establish the reason for the credit and whether the credit is reasonably expected to be applied to future eligible payments.

An incorrect payment also includes a credit balance held on your behalf that is not likely to be used within 6 months.

2. Preventing Incorrect Payments

Oxford Agency will take reasonable steps to prevent incorrect Centrepay payments by:

• ensuring deductions are established only with the customer’s appropriate authority and consent;
• maintaining accurate tenancy, rental and Centrepay records;
• ensuring deduction amounts correspond with the customer’s agreed payment obligations;
• applying any required target amounts, end dates or other mandatory deduction conditions;
• regularly reconciling Centrepay receipts against tenant ledgers;
• reviewing deductions when rent or tenancy circumstances change;
• promptly updating, reducing, suspending or cancelling deductions where appropriate;
• reviewing Centrepay arrangements when a tenancy is approaching termination; and
• training relevant staff regarding Oxford Agency’s Centrepay obligations and this Incorrect Payment Process.

Customers may request that their Centrepay deduction be changed, suspended or cancelled. Oxford Agency will action such requests in accordance with the Centrepay Terms of Use and applicable customer consent requirements.

You can change, suspend or cancel your Centrepay deduction at any time by using your Centrelink online account through myGov, using the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app, calling Services Australia on your regular payment line, or visiting a Services Australia service centre.

Where Oxford Agency identifies circumstances that may result in future incorrect payments, appropriate action will be taken to adjust, suspend or cancel the deduction and the customer will be advised of the action taken where required.

3. Managing an Incorrect Payment

If Oxford Agency identifies or is notified of a possible incorrect payment, the matter will be reviewed promptly.

Oxford Agency will:

1. identify the relevant Centrepay transaction;
2. review the customer’s Centrepay authority, tenant ledger and tenancy records;
3. determine why the incorrect payment occurred;
4. calculate the amount of any incorrect payment or credit;
5. determine whether any active deduction needs to be changed, suspended or cancelled to prevent further incorrect payments;
6. record the issue and corrective action taken; and
7. advise the customer of the incorrect payment and how Oxford Agency proposes to correct it.

The customer will be advised in writing wherever practicable. Where written communication is not possible, Oxford Agency may communicate with the customer verbally and maintain an internal record of that communication.

Oxford Agency will not automatically apply an unauthorised Centrepay payment against other amounts owing without first ensuring that doing so is permitted and appropriately authorised.

4. Rectifying and Refunding Incorrect Payments

Where Oxford Agency determines that a Centrepay payment has been received incorrectly and escalation to Services Australia is not required, Oxford Agency will arrange for the incorrect payment to be refunded to the customer within 10 business days.

When we identify an incorrect payment, we will not:

• exchange or provide further goods to rectify the incorrect payment;
• tell you what you should use the incorrect payment for.

Oxford Agency will also take appropriate action to prevent the incorrect payment from recurring, including changing, suspending or cancelling the applicable Centrepay deduction where necessary.

The customer will be advised of:

• the incorrect payment identified;
• the amount involved;
• the reason for the incorrect payment, where known;
• the corrective action taken;
• any change made to their Centrepay deduction; and
• how and when the incorrect payment has been or will be refunded.

Where Oxford Agency is unable to return an incorrect payment after taking reasonable steps to locate or contact the customer, Oxford Agency will contact Services Australia for guidance and follow any applicable requirements concerning unclaimed monies.

Where an incorrect payment is proposed to be transferred to a State or Territory authority as unclaimed money, Oxford Agency will contact Services Australia at least 20 business days before transferring the funds.

5. Reconciliation and Record Keeping

Oxford Agency will maintain accurate records of Centrepay deductions received and reconcile these payments against the relevant tenant ledgers.

Records relating to incorrect payments will include, where applicable:

• customer and tenancy details;
• date and amount of the payment;
• reason the payment was identified as incorrect;
• investigation undertaken;
• communications with the customer;
• corrective action taken;
• refund details;
• changes made to the Centrepay deduction; and
• any communication or direction received from Services Australia.

These records will be maintained securely and in accordance with Oxford Agency’s privacy and record-keeping obligations.

6. Services Australia Directions and Escalation

Oxford Agency will comply with any written direction issued by Services Australia regarding the management or return of an incorrect Centrepay payment.

Where such a direction is received, Oxford Agency will take the required action and advise Services Australia of the action taken.

If Oxford Agency identifies an incorrect payment that cannot be resolved directly with the customer, or where guidance or escalation is required, Oxford Agency will contact the Centrepay for Businesses team and provide the information reasonably required to investigate and resolve the matter.

7. Staff Training and Review

Relevant Oxford Agency employees responsible for property management, trust accounting, tenant accounts or Centrepay administration will be made aware of this procedure and their responsibilities when processing and reconciling Centrepay payments.

Oxford Agency will periodically review this procedure and update it where needed to reflect changes to the Centrepay Terms of Use, Services Australia requirements or Oxford Agency’s internal procedures.

If you require any further information regarding Centrepay and Fee-Free rental payments, please contact on of our friendly Property Management team members today.