2. Collections events
3. Outbound collections
4. Default listings
5. Bad debt
6. Sold debt
7. Managing Billing Disputes
1.2 Payment history in CORE
1.3 Restriction and suspension
1.4 Disconnection
1.5 Netflix through Foxtel
The Foxtel collections process involves collecting money from an account with an overdue balance. Depending on the scenario, customers will have between 3-7 days after their payment due date before the collections process will start. The collections process may result in the customer's service being restricted, suspended or disconnected.
See the Collections events timeline for exact timeframes and events.
1.2 Payment history in CORE
The customer's payment history is found on the CORE Billing screen.
The number codes in CORE represent individual months and show different stages of a customer's payment history:
- 0 - paid on time
- 1 - overdue by 1 month
- 2 - Non-Payment Suspension (NPS)
- 3 - referral to an external collections agency (Recoveries Corp)
- 9 - account written off.
1.3 Restriction and suspension
If a payment on an account is overdue, a late payment fee may apply and the customer's TV service may be reduced to an RSP (the customer's TV service is reduced to the RSP Entertainment pack only plus multiroom charges and Netflix is removed). For more information on RSP, see Overview - Reduced Service Packs.
If the customer's account continues to remain unpaid, it may be suspended due to NPS (Non-Pay Suspension). This means the customer's TV service is suspended and all TV programming is removed, and a reconnection fee will apply to resume the service.
If the customer has broadband and/or home phone on their account, their bundled pricing may no longer apply, and broadband speeds will be shaped to 256kbps, while some of the home phone services, including the ability to make calls to some numbers, will be restricted.
1.4 Disconnection
If the customer's account continues to remain unpaid, their Foxtel service(s) will be disconnected. This may mean that customers:
- may not be able to reconnect their home phone service using their existing phone number
- may lose their port if they are in an area with limited ports and Foxtel cannot obtain another port to reconnect the broadband service
- may be charged activation and/or reconnection fees in addition to overdue payments
- in nbn cease sale areas may need to reconnect their previous home phone and ADSL broadband service to the nbn.
1.5 Netflix through Foxtel
If the customer has bundled Netflix, they will go through the standard Foxtel collection process.
If the customer has Netflix billed by Foxtel, the collection process for Netflix is different to the standard Foxtel collection process. For more information, see Overview - Netflix through Foxtel.
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2. Collections events
2.1 Collections events descriptions
Once an account has entered the collections process, it will pass through a series of collections events. The collections events and timelines differ for TV customers, early tenure customers (customers who have been with Foxtel for less than 6 months) and bundled (broadband and/or home phone) customers.
The table below provides the descriptions of the collections events. See the Collections events timeline for specific timelines.
| Collections event | Description |
| SMS reminder |
An SMS is sent to the mobile number listed on the account to remind the customer of the overdue balance and provide payment options. If the payment method on the account is credit card direct debit, this will be a 2-way SMS, for all other payments, it will be 1-way. For broadband and home phone customers, the SMS includes a link to our website which gives more information about the collection process. A letter will be sent to a broadband and home phone customer if they do not have a mobile number. |
| Banner display on TV | A message is displayed on the customer's TV screen advising the customer to call Foxtel. An additional SMS is sent warning of RSP, while prompting the customer to make a payment and giving payment plan options (for those that qualify). |
| TV RSP and Netflix removed | The customer's TV service is downgraded to RSP and their Netflix is removed due to the outstanding balance owing. |
| Broadband and/or home phone restriction |
The customer's broadband speed is reduced to 256kbs and phone calls are restricted to emergency, 1800 free and local calls only for ADSL customers. For nbn customers, phone calls are restricted to emergency and 1800 free calls only. |
| Collections call 1 | The Outbound Collections team calls the customer to discuss the outstanding balance. |
| TV NPS |
All Foxtel TV services are suspended and a reconnection fee will apply if the customer pays the balance to reconnect the service. The customer will also be sent an SMS confirming suspension, while prompting the customer to make a payment and giving payment plan options (for those that qualify). |
| Collections call 2 | The Outbound Collections team makes a second call to the customer to discuss the outstanding balance. |
| Reminder letter | A letter is sent reminding the customer of the overdue balance and the pending disconnection of broadband/home phone services. |
| Disconnect broadband and/or home phone | Broadband and/or home phone services are disconnected. |
| Final notice | A letter is sent to the customer advising them that they will be referred to our external collections agency, Recoveries Corp, if payment is not made by a specified date. The customer will also be sent an SMS advising of pending referral to a collection agency, while prompting the customer to make a payment and giving extended payment plan options (if they qualify). |
| Referral to external collections agency (Recoveries Corp) | The customer's account is referred to Recoveries Corp and may be default listed through their credit bureau. Foxtel will only lodge a default if the amount owing is more than $150. The default may be lodged for subscription and/or early termination fees, but unrecovered equipment fees will not result in a default being lodged. |
| Write off and disconnect TV service | The customer's account (and all services) is disconnected and the write-off banner is placed on the customer's account in CORE. Recoveries Corp will now manage the account for the balance owing, including unreturned equipment. |
2.2 Collections events timeline
| Collections events | TV only customer | TV early tenure (less than 6 months) customer | Broadband and/or home phone bundled customer | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days from due date | Days from last event | Days from due date | Days from last event | Days from due date | Days from last event | |
| SMS reminder | +7 days | N/A | +3 days | N/A | +3 days | +3 days |
| Banner message | +21 days | +14 days | +7 days | +4 days | +5 days | +2 days |
| RSP (Reduced Service Package) | +26 days | +5 days | +8 days | +1 day | +8 days | +3 days |
| Restricted broadband and home phone services | N/A | N/A | +16 days | +8 days | ||
| Collections call 1 | +30 days | +4 days | +11 days | +3 days | +17 days | +1 days |
| TV NPS (Non-Pay Suspend) | +44 days | +14 days | +25 days | +14 days | +25 days | +8 days |
| Collections call 2 | +49 days | +5 days | +27 days | +2 days | +30 days | +5 days |
| Letter 2 | N/A | N/A | +31 days | +1 day | ||
| Disconnect broadband and home phone services | N/A | N/A | +44 days | +13 days | ||
| Final notice | +63 days | +14 days | +51 days | +24 days | +45 days | +1 days |
| Collections agency referral | +81 days | +18 days | +61 days | +10 days | +55 days | +10 days |
| Write off account and disconnect TV service | +171 days | +90 days | +151 days | +90 days | +145 days | +90 days |
- have an overdue balance of more than $15
- are 21 days or more past the bill due date
- need to return Foxtel equipment
- have had multiple direct debit failures
- have incorrect details for direct debit.
| Call type | When |
| Call type 1 | The account remains unpaid by the due date and TV services are on RSP. |
| Call type 2 | The account remains unpaid by the due date and TV services are on NPS. |
| Direct debit failure |
|
| Equipment return | The equipment has not been returned after disconnection. |
3.2 Unrecovered equipment events
The unrecovered equipment events will begin if the customer does not activate their STB by the below timeframes:
| Delivery method | Timeframe |
| Australia Post | 10 business days after the STB has been sent. |
| Courier | 4 business days after the STB has been sent. |
| Dish kits/owner install areas | 15 business days after the STB has been sent. |
The outbound activity for unrecovered equipment varies depending on if the customer is in a standard area or a Dish Kit/owner install area.
Standard area
- Day 1 - activation reminder SMS sent
- Day 5 - activation reminder SMS sent
- Day 13 - activation reminder phone call
- Day 17 - activation reminder letter sent
- Day 25 - move account to the Unrecovered Equipment Workflow
Dish kit/owner install area
- Day 1 - activation reminder SMS sent
- Day 8 - activation reminder SMS sent
- Day 16 - activation reminder phone call
- Day 36 - activation reminder letter sent
- Day 56 - move account to the Unrecovered Equipment Workflow.
3.3 Advanced Collections GUI
If you are on the outbound dialler and a customer makes a payment on call type 1 or 2, then you can use the Advanced Collections GUI to remove the account from future generated dialler lists for 2 weeks. The Advanced Collections GUI can also be used to extend collections events and apply payment plans.
To remove numbers from the Advanced Collections GUI:
- Open 'Advanced Collections GUI' using the icon on your desktop.
- On the Advanced Collections window, click Accept Call. The Results window will display.
- Click within the Results window area.
- Click Processed, Awaiting Mar located in the lower window.
- Click Complete.
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4. Default listings
A late payment may result in a default listing on the customer's credit report. This means when applying for credit in the future, the default listing will show the amount that was unpaid against the customer's name, and this may affect their ability to obtain credit or services from other providers.
A default listing will stay on the customer's credit report for 5 years. If the customer eventually pays the overdue balance, the listing will be updated to show as a paid default, but it may still impact future credit applications. If the customer pays prior to the default being listed, there will be no impact as the default won't be submitted.
If the account was referred to Recoveries Corp more than 45 days ago, a default listing may have been lodged. Customers would have been sent notices from Recoveries Corp confirming a default would be listed if payment was not made.
4.2 Notice
Customers will be sent a Final Notice letter advising them that they must pay the overdue balance within 18 days of the date on the letter, or they will be referred to a collections agency. This may also result in a default listing with Recoveries Corp.
Once Recoveries Corp receive the referral, they will send the customer further notice advising them that a default listing may occur if payment is not made within 14 days. After the 14 days, a final notice will be sent confirming that a default listing will be applied in 30 days.
4.3 Customer disputes
If a customer disputes the amount owing on their final notice, review the account and, if required, make the necessary adjustments in CORE. See Procedure - escalate a default listing for more information.
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5. Bad debt
5.2 Identifying bad debt
5.3 Handling bad debt
5.4 Resolving bad debt
5.5 Proof of occupancy
5.1 About bad debt
Bad debt occurs when a customer's account is disconnected or suspended and has an unpaid and overdue balance. Bad debt can be an overdue balance, written-off balance or an unrecovered equipment fee. Foxtel advises customers when they disconnect that any outstanding amounts will be billed as normal and, if unpaid, will be referred to an external collections agency (Recoveries Corp). Accounts with bad debt have warnings displayed in CORE.
Written off debt
Foxtel uses Recoveries Corp to collect overdue amounts from customers once they have entered the collections event Referral to external collections agency.
Once a customer has been referred to Recoveries Corp, they can make payment to Foxtel or Recoveries Corp, however payments made to Recoveries Corp may take up to 10 business days to appear in CORE. When speaking with a customer, advise them that the quickest option is to make payments directly to Foxtel.
For Recoveries Corp contact information, see FoxPages directory - general information and specialist support.
Paid debt
If a customer has paid the balance owing for their written off amount, but is still being contacted by Recoveries Corp, send an email to BBEscalated.Billing@foxtel.com.au with the following information:
- account number:
- customer name:
- payment amount:
- payment date:
- how was payment made:
- is payment showing on the account in CORE:
- best contact number for the customer:
Sold debt
Foxtel may sell bad debt where there is a written-off balance of more than $100 owing and the account has been written-off for more than 30 days. For more information, see Sold debt.
5.2 Identifying bad debt
When a customer has bad debt, CORE displays warnings and the total written-off amount on the Account Summary screen.
Billed charges
The Billed Charges displays the total written-off balance that was owing when the service(s) were disconnected and may include unrecovered equipment fees.
Unbilled charges
The Unbilled Charges displays any payments and/or adjustments that have been made on the account. This is then shown as a credit. To identify the written-off amount still owing, you will need to minus the amount in Unbilled Charges from the amount in the Billed Charges section.
In the image above, the Billed Charges is listed at $179.45, however the customer has made a payment of $102.19 which is now displaying in the Unbilled Charges section; this means that the remaining amount the customer owes is $77.26 ($179.45 total amount minus $102.19 payment made).
Debt paid in full
If the written-off debt has been paid in full, this will be demonstrated as either the total written-off amount in brackets in the Unbilled Charges section, or there will be no charges listed;
Breach fee
A breach fee (also known as an early termination fee) may also be added in Billed Charges if the customer was still within their contract period when the service was disconnected due to non-payment.
Unrecovered equipment
CORE will display a warning when a customer has not returned their Foxtel equipment, even if the customer has been charged an unrecovered equipment fee. Note: This warning will not display if the unrecovered equipment fee has been paid.
5.3 Handling bad debt
When a potential new customer is matched with bad debt, the sale cannot proceed until the balance is paid or the match is resolved. A bad debt match can be resolved by paying the debt, returning outstanding equipment or providing proof that the new customer is not associated with the debt.
There are 2 scenarios for matching bad debt:
- match based on address
- match based on previous account.
Match based on address
When entering an address for a new sale, CORE will automatically check for any bad debt at that address. If a bad debt account exists at that address, the account must be checked to ensure that the potential new customer does not match any of the following disconnected account details:
- full name
- date of birth
- phone number
- email address
- authorised contact name or date of birth.
If the potential new customer's details do not match any of the above, the sale can continue. If the potential new customer's details do not match any of the above, the sale can continue. Otherwise, the customer will need to resolve the bad debt to continue with the sale. Important: If there is a partial match, they may be picked up in a post-sale check and contacted to ask for ID or proof of occupancy. A partial match may include similar birth date (such as same day and month but different year) or same first or last name (but not full name).
Match based on previous account
If a potential customer advises that they have previously had a Foxtel account, you must search their phone number and full name in CORE to see if they are listed on any bad debt accounts. If there is no match to a bad debt account, the sale can continue. Otherwise, the customer will need to resolve the bad debt to continue with the sale.
5.4 Resolving bad debt
If a potential customer was the account holder or an authorised contact of an account with bad debt, the balance must be paid before a sale can proceed.
If the bad debt is related to unrecovered equipment and the customer still has the equipment, the unrecovered equipment fee can be waived if the customer returns - or reconnects with - their equipment. Otherwise, the overdue balance must be paid before the sale can continue. Note: If the equipment has been lost, stolen or damaged, see Overview - lost, stolen, missing or damaged equipment.
If a potential customer was an authorised contact on an account with bad debt, the sale cannot proceed until the overdue balance is paid. If the customer requires further assistance or would like to discuss their previous bills, transfer the customer to Collections. For transfer information, see FoxPages directory - Foxtel departments.
5.5 Proof of occupancy
Proof of occupancy documents are legal documents such as a lease agreement or purchase agreement that prove the current occupant(s) of an address.
New sales orders require Proof of Ownership documentsto be sent to SRT@foxtel.com.au
Types of proof of occupancy
Any of the following documents can be provided to prove occupancy:
- contract of sale (sometimes called proof of purchase)
- lease agreement
- rental agreement
- both a letter from the new customer's real estate agent stating when they became the new occupant and a rent or bond payment receipt.
Requesting proof of occupancy
Proof of occupancy documentation can be sent to sales.enquiries@foxtel.com.au. When requesting proof of occupancy to be emailed in, you must advise the customer to include:
- their full name
- their best contact number
- your name and team name.
Advise the potential customer that you will call them back after reviewing their proof of occupancy documentation.
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6. Sold debt
6.2 Identifying sold debt
6.3 Sold debt customer scenarios
6.4 Third-party debt collector
6.5 Sold debt FAQs
Occasionally, Foxtel will sell bad debt to external third-party debt collectors. Bad debt will only be sold from accounts that have outstanding balances and have been written off for 30 days or more.
Once the debt is sold, the third-party debt collector will send a notification to the customer advising that they have purchased the debt.
Payment for sold debt
Once the debt is sold to a third-party debt collector, this means that it is no longer Foxtel's debt to recover. We can provide customers with copies of invoices using the Foxtel bill archive, but we can't confirm the amount owing as any payments made after the debt has been sold will not display in CORE.
What's the difference between written off and sold debt?
Written off debt is debt that Foxtel will still try to recover through our external collections agency. Once debt is sold, Foxtel will no longer try to recover this debt and these accounts will be closed off with Recoveries Corp. The third-party debt collector who buys the debt will then attempt recovery.
Default listings
If Foxtel has lodged a default listing against the customer, this default listing will be transferred to the third-party debt collector's name once the debt has been sold. This means that the default listing will no longer show as a Foxtel default.
If Foxtel has not lodged a default listing against the customer, the third-party debt collector may do so as part of their collection activity.
For more information, see Default listings.
6.2 Identifying sold debt
Sold debt (still owing)
When a customer's bad debt has been sold to a third-party debt collector, CORE will display the name of the collection agency who has purchased the debt, and you can provide their contact details to the customer. While the debt is listed as owing, many features of CORE will be disabled.
Sold debt (paid)
If the customer pays off their debt to the third-party debt collector, the debt collector will confirm if the customer wants Foxtel to be advised of the payment.
If the customer is happy for Foxtel to be advised, the debt collector will notify Foxtel so the account can be updated. Once CORE has been updated, the account can be reconnected (if the customer wants to reconnect). For more information, see Procedure - reactivate an account with bad debt.
If the customer does not want Foxtel to be advised, the debt collector will not notify Foxtel that the debt has been paid. If the customer wants to reconnect in the future, they will need to contact the debt collector and request that they send Foxtel notification of the payment. Note: It can take up to 2 business days for the account to be updated in CORE once the debt has been paid.
6.3 Sold debt customer scenarios
See the table below for how to handle sold debt scenarios.
| If... | Then... |
| the customer advises that they have been contacted by a Collection agency regarding a sold debt |
advise them to contact the Collection agency the debt has been sold to in order to discuss or arrange payment. This will be either Credit Corp or Panthera for residential accounts or Recoveries Corp for business accounts; information on the Collection agency is available on the Account Summary screen in CORE. For contact details, see Third-party debt collector. |
| the customer advises that this is the first they have been contacted regarding the debt | refer to the Collections events timeline and advise the customer that Recoveries Corp would have attempted to contact the customer before the debt was sold to the Collection agency. |
| the customer has multiple accounts with Foxtel | ask the customer for the account number on the letter they have received from the Collection agency. |
| the customer disputes the charges |
advise them to contact the Collection agency the debt has been sold to in order to discuss this further. The Collection agency will be able to lodge a dispute with Foxtel on their behalf. For contact details, see Third-party debt collector. |
| the customer wants to make payment on the debt |
if the customer wants to make a payment on the sold debt, they must make the payment directly to the Collection agency. Payments for sold debts cannot be made to Foxtel. |
| the customer pays the debt |
the Collection agency will ask the customer if they want Foxtel to be advised:
|
6.4 Third-party debt collector
The following table lists the contact details of the third-party debt collector that a customer's debt may be sold to.
| Company name | Contact details | Operating hours (Sydney time) |
| Credit Corp |
Phone: 1300 657 393 Email: customercare@creditcorp.com.au Postal address: Post Customer Care GPO Box 4475 Sydney, NSW 2001. |
Monday - Thursday: 8.30am - 8.00pm Friday: 8.30am - 7.00pm Saturday: 9.00am - 1.00pm Sunday: Closed |
| Panthera Finance |
Phone: 1300 722 974 Email: enquiry@pantherafinancegroup.com.au Postal address: PO Box 388 Toowong DC, QLD, 4066 |
Monday - Thursday: 7.30am - 8.00pm Friday: 7.30am - 6.30pm Saturday: 9.00am - 3.00pm Sunday: Closed |
| Recoveries Corp |
Phone: 1300 218 283 Online enquiries: www.recoveriescorp.com.au/contact-us Postal address: PO Box 13159 Law Courts Melbourne, VIC, 8010 |
Monday - Friday: 8.30am - 5.00pm Saturday and Sunday: Closed |
| Francom |
Phone: 1300 904 938 Email: info@francomgroup.com Postal address: PO Box 242 Parramatta, NSW, 2124 |
Monday - Friday: 7.30am - 6.00pm Online portal 24 hours 7 days per week portal.francomgroup.com |
6.5 Sold debt FAQsWhy is Foxtel selling the debt?
Selling bad debt means that Foxtel won't need to keep track of the debt for customers who have overdue accounts. Selling debt is common practice for large businesses.
What if the customer advises that they have paid the debt?
If the payment was made before the debt was sold to the Collection agency, there may be a timing issue between the debt being sold and the payment being made. To investigate this further, see Procedure - escalate a dispute on a sold debt account.
What if the customer claims they don't owe the debt, they have never had Foxtel or the charges are incorrect?
Review the notes and orders on the account. As you will not be able to view invoices via Core, use the Foxtel Bill Archive to view customer invoices and confirm charges/payments made. If you are not able to validate the customer's claim or determine the charges are incorrect, see Procedure - escalate a dispute on a sold debt account. What if the customer requests a copy of an archived bill?
Refer the customer to the Collection agency who will be able to arrange for copies of their bills to be sent to the customer.
What if the customer was already on a payment plan to pay off the amount owing?
If the customer made a payment plan with Foxtel (and had been sticking to the agreed payment schedule), this debt would not be sold. If the customer believes they were on a payment plan and the debt was still sold, contact the Escalated Billing Team. For transfer information, see FoxPages directory - Foxtel departments.
What if the customer wants to pay the debt to Foxtel?
Once the debt is sold, Foxtel can no longer accept payments for this debt. The customer will have to contact the third-party debt collector to organise payment. Once that amount has been paid, Foxtel is then able to reconnect the customer.
Why is the amount Collection agency says is owing different to the amount Foxtel advises?
The amount sold to the Collection agency excludes any outstanding box fees and is for subscription and cancellation fees only. As the debt has been sold, we will not see any payments made after the sale, so the Collection agency will have the most up-to-date account balance information.
7. Managing Billing Disputes - Billing & Collections Teams
If a customer is disputing a bill and the issue requires further investigation from your Team Leader, please follow these steps:
-
Late Payment Fee Waiver:
- Ensure the agent applies a Late Payment fee waiver for the next bill.
- Place a hold on Collections activity until the dispute is resolved.
The procedure for waiving a late payment fee can be found here.
-
Payment Extension Application:
- Collections teams: Apply through the GUI.
- Billing teams without GUI access: Raise a Payment extension on Zendesk or request it in SharePoint.
For more detailed information, visit the Procedure-check-for-a-promise-not-fulfilled article.
Note for Team Leaders:
- It is imperative to respond to the customer within 2 business days, providing either a resolution or an update if more time is required.