[Courtney Melvin]

Just wondering what Councils are currently using Bulk SMS runs as reminders before and after instalments are due, who you use and what privacy is required to issue these?
Are you required to provide an opt in and/or out option for this?
We are looking at implementing this function and just issuing generic msgs about upcoming instalments or instalments that have been due with no personal information in the msg
Thanks,

[Lee Clarke]

Hi Courtney, Tweed use SMS for debt recovery. If interested, you might like to contact Donna – Dboresch@tweed.nsw.gov.au or Selena in Debt Recovery – selenas@tweed.nsw.gov.au. I believe that we use Bing for this service. Regards, lee

[Danielle Dwyer]

Hi Courtney,

We were advised by our Debt Agency to not go down the SMS route as it is a legal mind field. I would be interested to see if you have sort legal advice on this as we were ready to launch and then were advised not to 🙁

Many thanks,

Dani

[Andrea Dolan]

Hi Danielle,

We are also looking to add another layer to our debt management, because seemingly a Rates/Instalment notice, Reminder notice, Instalment notice, Reminder notice, Final notice and Notice of Intent before SOLC is not enough! And so, SMS and/or emails were the next things I was looking at. We have also been advised by our legal agent not to do SMS because of Sec710. I have a meeting with them and our own Legal Counsel this week to see what we can do.

Andrea
CBCity

[Suzi Flynn]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the late reply on this one. An SMS is not a notice and should not be intended to take the place of a notice, so section 710 would not apply. We send SMS reminders after instalments are missed. Mobile numbers are provided to the City of Sydney voluntarily and in acceptance of our terms and conditions which include our Privacy Management Plan. We advise why we are collecting the details and how we will use the information.

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner provides advice on its website about Privacy Policies. It states:
“An organisation or agency’s privacy policy must tell you:
* their name and contact details
* what kinds of personal information they collect and store
* how they collect personal information and where it is stored
* the reasons why they need to collect personal information
* how they’ll use and disclose personal information
* how you can access your personal information, or ask for a correction
* how to lodge a complaint if you think your information has mishandled, and how they’ll handle your complaint
* if they are likely to disclose your information outside Australia and, if practical, which countries they are likely to disclose the information to.”

https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/your-privacy-rights/your-personal-information/what-is-a-privacy-policy

[Dallas McConnell]

I agree with Suzi, 710 wouldnt apply to an SMS as its a prompt and you should still issue your reminder notice as normal.
At Wollongong we used to send an SMS reminder out 2 days before the payment due date to let them know the instalment was due for payment soon. Ratepayers opted into this, and it was built into our e registrations. As in a customer could tick to register to receive notices electronically and also sms notifications from council (t&C applied that was approved by legal)
We used to run a file to show customers with outstanding balance, remove those with a direct debit debit in place then wash it against the registrations. Our former print house PML would send them on our behalf.

[Author]

Posts