Billing Policy | WHS Guardian

WHS Guardian – Billing and Payment Policy
Effective 6 January 2025

All invoices are payable within 7 days of the invoice date, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
For legal and court-related matters (e.g. affidavits, expert reports), no work will commence until full payment is received, unless an express exemption is granted.

Where an invoice remains unpaid for 21 days past the due date, a 20.00% surcharge will be applied to the outstanding balance.
This surcharge reflects the administrative and operational costs of managing overdue accounts.
Continued non-payment will result in legal proceedings being initiated.

WHS Guardian does not use third-party debt collection agencies under any circumstances.
If payment is not received within 7 days of the surcharge being applied, WHS Guardian will initiate legal proceedings directly in the Small Claims Division of the Local Court of NSW, typically at Lismore Local Court.
The total amount sought through the court will include:
- The original invoice amount
- The 20% surcharge
- Court filing fees
- Process serving costs
- Any other recoverable legal costs and interest allowed under NSW law

Disputes must be raised in writing within 7 days of invoice receipt.
If no dispute is raised within this timeframe, the invoice will be deemed accepted in full.

Clients experiencing financial hardship may request a payment plan or extension, provided they:
- Make contact before the invoice due date, and
- Provide reasonable information to support the request
Approval of payment arrangements is at WHS Guardian’s sole discretion. While surcharges may still apply, they may be reduced or deferred depending on the situation.

Law firms seeking urgent work must provide confirmation in writing that:
- Sufficient funds are held in trust, or
- Payment will be made within a clearly agreed timeframe
WHS Guardian reserves the right to require payment in advance for all services and to decline further work from any firm with a history of delayed or non-payment.

If WHS Guardian has approved a CentrePay plan for your hair/CDT test and you cease that plan or entered into it based on fraud, the $150 penalty (outlined in the CentrePay terms at www.whs.org.au/centrepay) is added to the amount outstanding and an invoice is issued with only 1 day to pay. If you have ever breached a centrepay agreement with us or another CentrePay provider, or Services Australia advises us you have received benefits by deceit, you will never be entitled to another CentrePay agreement.