If you are unhappy with the service you are receiving from your telco, you can make a complaint.

Telcos have to follow rules about when small businesses can be disconnected, help they must provide if you can’t pay a bill, and more. If your small business spends less than $40,000 per year with one telco for your internet, landline and mobile phone services, you’re protected by these rules.

How to make a complaint

Your telco will have information on their website on how to make a complaint. The steps below can help make it easier:

1. Clearly state at the beginning that you are making a complaint and explain what it’s about.
   
   
2. Save any emails and keep details of phone conversations (date, time and person you spoke with). If you use live chat on your telco’s website, make sure you save a copy of the conversation. You can do this by taking a screenshot on your computer, phone, or tablet. You can also take a photo of the conversation, or print it out.

What must your telco do?

Your telco must acknowledge the complaint within two working days and try their best to resolve your complaint the first time that you contact them.

In most cases, your telco must let you know how they plan to fix your complaint within 15 working days (three weeks).

Where possible, your telco must resolve urgent complaints within two working days.

Urgent complaints can include complaints by people experiencing financial hardship, people with a diagnosed life-threatening medical condition who need priority assistance, and complaints where a service has been disconnected unfairly.

Your telco must resolve complaints about incorrect billing no later than the end of the next billing period. For example, if you pay your phone bill monthly and received an incorrect bill on March 20th, your telco must resolve the complaint by April 20th.

If you come to an agreement with your telco, they must act on it within 10 working days (two weeks).

Not happy with your telco’s response?

If you are not happy with the response from your telco, you can ask them to review their decision. If you are still not happy, you can go to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) to help you with your complaint.

You can also contact the TIO if your telco:

• Is hard to contact.
  
  
• Is disrespectful or rude.
  
  
• Does not do what they promised they would do to help.
  
  
• Refuses to send your complaint to a supervisor or manager if you request it.
  
  

Learn more about the TIO at tio.com.au or call 1800 062 058