Hardship Policy

Hardship may be temporary or ongoing. We look at the effect of the customer’s circumstances and their capacity to pay, rather than relying on a label or a single missed payment. Indicators may include:

• a request for more time, a lower payment, a payment pause or another arrangement reduced or unstable income, job loss, increased essential expenses or an unexpected cost repeated missed payments or arrangements that are no longer sustainable
• illness, injury, bereavement, caring responsibilities, housing instability, family or domestic violence, natural disaster or another vulnerability affecting the customer’s ability to engage or pay contact from an authorised representative, financial counsellor or support service.

We will not require a customer to disclose more sensitive information than is reasonably needed for the applicable process. We will not diagnose a condition or make assumptions about a customer’s circumstances.

If we are required to document sensitive information to seek approval from our assess or agree assistance, we will seek your consent before we record sensitive information.

Our approach is to recognise, understand and act. In practice, this means:

1. Recognise and record

We listen for a hardship or vulnerability indicator, acknowledge it without judgement and record the matter accurately under the applicable process.

2. Understand capacity

We ask clear and respectful questions to understand what has changed, what assistance is being requested and whether any payment would be affordable and sustainable after essential commitments.

3. Choose the right pathway

We determine whether the matter can remain with your customer relationship manager, requires client authority, or should be referred for specialist hardship team for assessment, subject to any delegations we may hold.

4. Explain what happens next

We will tell you what action is being taken, whether further information may be needed and who will manage the next stage. Outcomes can only be provided once an assessment has been completed.

Customer Capacity Drives the Pathway

If a sustainable arrangement can be managed within the applicable client requirements and delegated authority, your assigned account manager will work with you. If you are unable to make any sustainable payments, require specialist support, or the proposed option is outside our authority, the matter will be referred to a specialist team or to our client for further consideration.

The assistance available will depend on each customer’s circumstances, the account, the client’s requirements, the law and the authority given to ARMA. Depending on those factors, an outcome may include:

• a reduced or revised payment arrangement
• a temporary payment pause, extension or review period
• a change to payment frequency or due date,
• referral to the client or ARMA’s specialist Hardship Team for assessment
• a request for limited additional information where reasonably required to assess the request
• another outcome made available or approved by the client

Any proposed payment arrangement should be realistic and sustainable. We will not seek an arrangement that disregards essential living costs or information the customer has provided about their capacity.

If assistance is approved, we will explain the arrangement or next step and any review requirements. If the requested assistance cannot be provided, we will explain the applicable outcome and any suggested referral pathway option, subject to the services ARMA performs for relevant client and in consideration of their applicable processes.

ARMA’s approach is intended to support fair, honest and respectful resolutions, appropriate handling of hardship notices, protection of personal information, proper record keeping and access to complaints and external dispute resolution pathways where applicable. Subject to the type of account, relevant requirements may include the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 and National Credit Code, the Telecommunications (Financial Hardship) Industry Standard 2024, National Energy Retail Amendment (Assisting hardship customers) Rule 2025 or other industry specific legislation alongside Australian Consumer Law, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, the Privacy Act 1988, applicable industry codes, such as the General Insurance Code of Practice or Banking Code of Practice and the ACCC/ASIC Debt Collection Guideline

Where a hardship notice is one that must be handled by the credit provider under the National Credit Code, ARMA will follow the client’s process, so the notice is directed to the responsible credit provider and handled within the applicable legal timeframe.

As a customer, you may ask an authorised representative, including a financial counsellor, advocate, lawyer orsupport person, to communicate with us. We may need to verify the representative’s authority before discussing the account.

We collect and use personal information only as reasonably necessary in accordance with our Privacy Policy Please tell us if you need an interpreter, accessibility adjustment, different communication method, additional time, or support because of personal circumstances. We will take reasonable steps to make the process easier to use.

If you are dissatisfied with how a hardship request has been handled, you can make a complaint to ARMA at no cost. We will handle the complaint under our Complaints Policy and explain any escalation option that applies. Depending on the client, account and issue, this may include referral to the client, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority or another relevant external dispute resolution or regulatory body.

Online: Contact ARMA Assist using our online form

Phone: Call us on 1300 315 683

Write: ARMA Group Holdings Pty Ltd, PO Box 5044, Alexandria NSW 2015

Account contact: Use the contact details shown in the letter, email or message you received from ARMA.

If you need immediate support

You may wish to contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007 for free, independent financial counselling. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.