Online Portal and Payments Terms & Conditions
These Terms and Conditions (‘T&Cs’)form an agreement between You (the user) and Mid-Coast Council (‘Council’) and they include the use of information, graphics and materials provided by Council and sets out the basis of a legal relationship with Council for the purpose of accessing the Online Portal (‘Portal’) and processing or payment of an Invoice.
This Portal is used and operated by Council through its website to update Your information, order certificates and pay some tax invoices issued by Council. For example, land rates and land certificates.
Council notes that not all invoices are able to be paid using this platform. If You have any issues paying invoices using this platform You are still responsible for the payment of the invoice.
Please Note: These T&Cs do not apply to bookings for spaces made within the Council’s Bookable system for use of community based facilities.
In these T&Cs ‘includes’, ‘including’, ‘included’ or the like are not words of limitation.
1. General principles and responsibilities
1.1 An Invoice, is a tax invoice issued by Council which is able to be paid using this online payment system.
1.2 The online payments made utilising this Portal may only be used by a current, and valid credit card.
1.3 Payment(s) within the Portal can be made by the following credit card (‘card’) types, and no others:
a) Mastercard;
b) VisaCard (Visa)
1.4 By accessing the Council’s website and the Portal, You acknowledge and agree to the following:
a) All monetary amounts are in Australian currency ($AUD)
b) You must provide valid and correct Invoice details (including reference numbers supplied on the Invoice);
c) You must provide current and valid card details, and You confirm You are authorised to provide those card details;
d) Providing Your card details authorises Council to charge the relevant Invoice amounts to that card;
e) You are responsible for entering accurate information. Incorrect information may result in failed or unprocessed payments, and Council may apply late payment penalties without recourse;
f) Council may charge a card merchant fee on the transaction amount and charged to Your card;
g) Any fees charged by the card provider including(e.g. declined fees, processing, usage fees or the like) are Your sole responsibility;
h) For clarity, if a payment is declined, the Invoice remains unpaid;
i) Council may charge a declined payment fee if the payment fails due to insufficient funds or incorrect information supplied by You.
j) Council will not enter into any discussions or disputes with Your card provider. Council does not have any authority to intervene regardless of whether the transaction was successful or unsuccessful.
k) You are responsible for ensuring sufficient funds are available for a successful payment transaction;
l) Payment transaction history remains the property of Council.
m) You are responsible for checking and verifying Your payment transactions. If You believe a payment is incorrect, not processed, or is unauthorised, You must commence Your own enquiries and notify Council in writing as a first step.
n) If a dispute arises between You and Your card provider, Council May (in its sole discretion) provide relevant transaction information to the card provider or to Council’s banking institution without notice to You.
o) Council has sole discretion to determine whether a transaction is valid (or invalid). Council is not responsible for any third-party payment processors, its online payment system, and/or associated bank processing arrangements.
p) Council uses a secure, third-party payment provider to process card payments. Your card details are not stored on Council’s servers.
q) Council may retain some non-sensitive information (e.g. last four digits of Your card number and card expiry date) for convenience and verification purposes. This data is stored securely, and may be used to:
i) Identify Your saved payment method;
ii) Assist with invoice enquiries; and/or
iii) Comply with legal or regulatory requirements.
2. Fees
2.1 For absolute clarity, You are solely responsible for all fees associated with the use of the Portal, regardless of whether the payment is successful, unsuccessful, or later reversed for any reason. All fees are payable at the rate in effect at the time of payment. Council’s fees and charges are reviewed annually and may change each financial year.
3. Processing
3.1 Council will endeavour to process all applications and payments received through the Portal as soon as practicably able on a business day. A business day that is a day that is not a Saturday or Sunday, public holiday or Council’s non-gazetted public holiday (being Council’s annual picnic day).
3.2 If a payment is made on a day which is not a business day, Council will endeavour to process it on the next business day.
3.3 Council expressly disclaims any and all liability and/or claim/s for any delays in processing payments or issuing certificates including any consequences arising from such delays.
3.4 Where able, Council will issue documents in PDF (.pdf) format.
3.5 You are solely responsible for ensuring You have the necessary hardware and software to access any document/s You request.
4. Warranties and Jurisdiction
4.1 Council does not warrant that the Portal will be free from viruses, uninterrupted, secure, or protected from being read or monitored by others.
4.2 Council does not guarantee that the Portal will be available at all times or at any specific time.
4.3 Council may suspend access to this Portal at any time, with or without notice and for any reason, at their sole discretion.
4.4 Although Council aims to ensure that the information is accurate and free from error, Council does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the Portal or material. All information may change without notice.
4.5 Council makes no representations that the Portal complies with any laws outside of Australia.
4.6 If You access the Portal from outside Australia, You do so at your own risk and are responsible for complying with local laws.
4.7 The jurisdiction applicable to the Portal is that of New South Wales, Australia.
5. Privacy
5.1 Personal information collected through the Portal includes Your card details and account information.
5.2 This information is required to process Your Invoice and may be shared between Council, Your card provider, and financial institutions involved in processing the payment.
6. Copyright and Trademarks
6.1 All copyright in the Portal is owned or licenced by Council.
7. Acceptance and changes
7.1 By using the Portal You acknowledge and accept that You have read and understood these T&Cs.
7.2 You acknowledge that these are the current T&Cs and that they replace any previous T&Cs of the Portal.
7.3 Council may change these T&Cs at any time, at its sole discretion, without notice.
7.4 By accessing or using the Portal, You accept that Council has provided you with sufficient notice of those changes.
8. Certificates
8.1 When applying for any type of certificate, You are responsible for ensuring all details are correct before making payment.
8.2 No refunds will be provided if You incorrectly enter information, for duplicate applications, or for change of mind.
8.3 You acknowledge that processing may take up to 10 business days.
8.4 You may request urgent processing (within 5 business days). Council may decline this request at its sole discretion. Additional fees apply for urgent processing.
8.5 Section 603 Certificate
a) If multiple land parcels are rated together, Council will issue one section 603 certificate covering those parcels. For clarity, You do not need to lodge a separate section 603 application for each folio identifier in this situation.
b) As applicable, You may request a special meter read (for an additional fee) at the time of lodging Your section 603 certificate application.
c) A special meter read pursuant to clause 8.4, is only available for land parcels that have a water meter.
8.6 Section 10.7 Planning Certificate
a) You are responsible for providing the correct legal description (lot number, section number, Deposited Plan number or Strata Plan number) for the land parcel you require a Planning Certificate for
b) Council will not offer a refund if an incorrect legal description of the subject land parcel has been used.
c) A section 10.7 Planning Certificate is generated for each individual land parcel.
d) Council will charge You a Fee for each section 10.7 Planning Certificate You apply for.
e) The section 10.7 Planning Certificate system does not recognise auto-consol numbers. You must apply for a section 10.7 Planning Certificate for each individual lot identified in an auto-consol.
f) Due to the changing nature of planning legislation, the Section 10.7 Planning Certificate is correct on the date of its issue.
g) If Council determines (in its sole and reasonable discretion) that You are required to provide additional information, You will provide this information promptly or processing may be delayed.
9. Customer Assistance
If you have any questions in relation to the Portal, You may contact Council’s Customer Service on 02 7955 7777 during operating hours, or submit a request through Council’s customer request portal.