Bill Express questions answered

Not all newsagents are being informed equally about matters relating to Bill Express. For example, the QNF published the following questions and answers to their members last week – following a meeting they organised on the Bill Express matter. I reproduce the QNF questions/comments here with permission of the QNF:

1. If it (legal action) is unsuccessful will we still have to pay the rental charge? If the legal case is not successful you will then have to start paying your $495 for the life of the contract, just like any other contract that you enter into.
2. Bill Express recently promised relief to Regional Newsagents . This appears to be a sales pitch which may have been genuine at the time. Perhaps it was to delay newsagents’ taking action.
3. Some newsagents were told by Bill Express representatives that BXP never intended to keep the subsidies……. Hank Spier (Barrister who attended the QNF meeting and former General Manager of the ACCC) stated that if there is any evidence out there that can prove this then this would be very valuable. This may only be known once the court case commences and records are subpoenaed. Did any other involved parties know about this?
4. The rebates were the integral reason why newsagents first entered into the contract. Newsagents were mislead.
5. Once you have suspended/cancelled direct debit that should be it. You are the Bank’s customer and they should honor what you require them to do. Be mindful not to cancel your ‘dial time’ direct debit until the end of month you last used it.  The ANZ Bank will still have to charge you merchant fees if you have used your machine during that month.  Approximately 2 weeks before you are finished with your Dial Time machine you must write and request that Bill Express send a “Request for Closure Form” to the ANZ bank to make sure they stop charging you, as at a certain date, for use of their machine. (Keep a copy) 
6. You can terminate your BXP contract by giving 180 days notice but you cannot terminate your Finance contract prematurely.  This may change with the result of court proceedings. If you are close to the end of your BXP contract and are not intending to renew it you must write to BXP and TBI to give 180 days notice.   (Renewal of your BXP contract does not mean you will enter into another finance contract.  Once you have paid off your finance contract it is finished.  BXP will give you a new contract to sign with new terms and conditions but no finance contract.)
7. A newsagent at the meeting stated that once a direct debit goes through your account you have 48 hours to request the money back. Your own bank should be able to do this on request.
8. Who is responsible if customer pays a Bill Express account and it does not reach its destination? For example an Origin Energy payment. Your customer will have a receipt to prove payment was made. You should have a corresponding debit from your account. If they pay by cheque then in our example Origin, the account that it was deposited into would be known by the Bank. These payments are also underwritten.
9. If you cancel your contract all equipment belongs to BXP. You are only renting. Newsagents must return all equipment back to BXP. It is up to you to keep the equipment in a safe place until/if BXP come to collect it.