COMPLIANCE AND CONDUCT
These are the rules Chargetree follows when we contact your customers. They come from Australian consumer law and the ACCC/ASIC Debt Collection Guideline, and they apply to every debt we handle, whoever the customer is.
ON THIS PAGE
When and how often we make contact
The ACCC/ASIC Debt Collection Guideline sets limits on when collectors can get in touch and how often. We apply them to every debt, including business debts the guideline doesn’t strictly cover.
Our limit
Weekdays
7.30am to 9pm, in the customer’s local time
Weekends
9am to 9pm
National public holidays
No contact
How often
No more than 3 contacts a week, or 10 a month
If a customer asks us to use a particular channel, or not to contact them at work, we do that.
Calls are recorded
Every call is recorded and transcribed, and we tell the customer at the start of the call. The business can listen back to any call from its dashboard, which also helps settle any question later about what was said.
Hardship and disputes
When a customer tells us they’re in financial hardship, or says the invoice is wrong, we pause contact and tell the business straight away. Contact stays paused while the business works through it with them.
We point customers in hardship to free financial counselling: the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for individuals, and the Small Business Debt Helpline on 1800 413 828 for sole traders and small business owners.
What we won’t do
Threaten legal action that isn’t going to happen.
Visit anyone in person. We collect by email, SMS, phone and letter only.
Ask a customer for money they don’t legally owe.
Discuss a debt with anyone except the customer, unless they’ve said we can.
Licensing by state
State
Licence rules for debt collectors
Chargetree
NSW
A licence is needed only for field agents who visit people in person
Collects here
Victoria
No licence, unless the collector falls into a prohibited category
Collects here
Queensland
Field agents are licensed. Remote collection agents need no licence but must meet suitability rules and conduct standards
Collects here
Western Australia
Licence required under the Debt Collectors Licensing Act 1964
Not yet
South Australia
Security agent licence required, issued through Consumer and Business Services
Not yet
Chargetree doesn’t collect in Tasmania, the ACT or the Northern Territory yet.
Privacy
We use a customer’s details only to collect the invoice the business handed to us. Our data is hosted in Australia, and card payments are processed by Stripe, so card details go to Stripe and not to us.
Complaints
Email support@chargetree.co and tell us what happened. We’ll look into it and reply in writing. If you’re not happy with our answer, you can contact the ACCC or the fair trading body in your state: NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria or the Queensland Office of Fair Trading.
Frequently asked questions
What hours can debt collectors call in Australia?
Under the ACCC/ASIC guideline, collectors should only phone between 7.30am and 9pm on weekdays and 9am and 9pm on weekends, and not at all on national public holidays.
How many times can a debt collector contact you?
The guideline says no more than 3 times a week, or 10 times a month.
Does Chargetree record calls?
Yes. Every call is recorded and transcribed, and we say so at the start of the call.
Is Chargetree licensed?
Chargetree collects remotely in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, where remote collectors don’t need a licence. In Queensland we meet the suitability rules and conduct standards that apply to collection agents.
Get paid without putting your name at risk
Every debt is followed up under these rules, and you can see each message and call in your dashboard. You pay 15% on debts under $5,000 or 10% from $5,000, and only if we recover.
No collection, no fee
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Australian team
