Smoothpay Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions outline and govern Yarra Valley Water’s SmoothPay service. When you apply for the SmoothPay service you accept these terms and conditions.

1. SmoothPay is a flexible payment arrangement service which allows customers to average out the annual costs of their water bills and schedule their payments over 12 months on a fortnightly or monthly basis.
2. Amounts to be paid under a SmoothPay arrangement will consist of:
   1. Yarra Valley Water’s estimate of your future water consumption over the next 12 months from when the SmoothPay arrangement starts. (This estimate is based on your prior 12 months water usage patterns, service costs, any pricing increases or additional charges. 
   2. at your election any amounts currently due and owing to Yarra Valley Water at the time the SmoothPay arrangement starts. 
3. You will elect to make payments on a fortnightly or monthly basis.
4. Yarra Valley Water will advise you of the amount of the payments you are required to make and you will make those payments into an account nominated by Yarra Valley Water. 
5. While you are on a SmoothPay arrangement Yarra Valley Water will suspend its normal debt recovery arrangements for any outstanding amounts. 
6. By making the application you warrant you are either the legal owner of the property or are the financially responsible tenant and are properly authorised to enter into a SmoothPay arrangement on the account. 
7. To complete an application you must: 
   1. give your full name, residential address, email address, telephone number, billing details and any other information requested by Yarra Valley Water, (such as direct debit details if you choose that method of payment);
   2. choose:
      1. whether the amounts covered by SmoothPay only cover the Yarra Valley Water estimate or will also include any existing water charges you owe to Yarra Valley Water; 
      2. your preferred payment frequency, that is fortnightly or monthly; and 
      3. your method of payment from one of our various payment channels.
8. You warrant all information in your application is true and correct. 
9. If you elect to use SmoothPay but do not want to include your current outstanding balance owing you will need to pay your account first and then apply for your SmoothPay arrangement. 
10. While you are on a SmoothPay arrangement you will continue to receive your normal quarterly bill from YVW which will show payments received for that quarter under the SmoothPay arrangement. Those payments will be deducted off the actual charges incurred for that quarter and if your payments are: 
    1. less than the actual water charges for that quarter that amount will be added to your next bill; or 
    2. more than the actual water charges for that quarter that additional amount will be credited to your next bill (Credit Amount). No refunds are paid by Yarra Valley Water on Credit Amounts while a SmoothPay arrangement is operating, however, if a Smoothpay arrangement is terminated or cancelled and you have no outstanding debts to YVW the Credit Amount will be refunded to you. 
11. It is your responsibility to ensure your payments meet the cost of the water services provided to you. If your circumstances change, for example there is likely to be an increase in water consumption for reasons such as an increase in the number of members in your household, you should contact YVW to arrange an adjustment to your payment amounts.
12. SmoothPay operates for 12 month periods. During the final quarter of each 12 month period YVW will review your SmoothPay arrangement. Yarra Valley Water may, at its discretion, elect not to continue your SmoothPay arrangement. If Yarra Valley Water determines it will continue your SmoothPay arrangement it will calculate your new payment amounts after determining the Yarra Valley Water Estimate for the next 12 months and either adding any amounts owing by you to Yarra Valley Water or deducting any Credit Amounts. Yarra Valley Water will then send you a notice indicating the new payment arrangements. If you make a payment in accordance with that notice you will be deemed to have agreed to continue the SmoothPay arrangement on the new payment terms. 
13. Yarra Valley Water will immediately terminate your SmoothPay arrangement if you: 
    1. fail to make two payments over the duration of the agreement without Yarra Valley Water’s consent to change your SmoothPay arrangement; or 
    2. are the owner of the property you sell your property; or 
    3. are a tenant you move out of the property; or 
    4. have breached any part of these terms and conditions; or 
    5. Yarra Valley Water reasonably believes you are likely to breach any part of these terms and conditions. 
14. If your SmoothPay arrangement is terminated or cancelled: 
    1. any amounts owing by you to Yarra Valley Water will be immediately due and payable to Yarra Valley Water within 10 business days; and 
    2. all Yarra Valley Water’s standard account terms will apply including Yarra Valley Water’s normal recovery processes on all outstanding amounts. 
15. Yarra Valley Water reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions or discontinue providing SmoothPay at any time upon providing you reasonable notice.