Secondary Contacts

What is a secondary contact?

At Alinta Energy we understand you may want other people in your household, family, support network, or business, to be able to act on your behalf when it comes to managing your energy account.

While you can add a contact to make some decisions on your behalf, it is important to remember as the Primary Account Holder most decisions will still need to be made by you. You will also remain financially responsible for your account and any decisions made on your behalf.

There are three different types of secondary contacts that you can add to your account:

1. Secondary Contact (Residential) – For when you want to add another contact to your residential energy account to help manage and administer your account;
2. Secondary Contact (Small Business) – For when you, the director, partner, or sole trader of your business, want to add another contact to your business energy account to help manage and administer your account; and
3. Authorised Representative (Support Person) – For when you want to add a financial counsellor, life support representative, or other hardship or Family Violence support person to your account.

How do I add a secondary contact to my account?

There are a number of ways to add a secondary contact to your account:

• the quickest way is via MyAccount. Go to your settings (found at top right navigation bar), scroll down to select ‘add secondary contact’.
• over the phone by contacting us today; or
• by providing us with a copy of the relevant Letter of Authority for your secondary contact type.

What can and can’t secondary contacts do?

Secondary Contact (Residential):

A Secondary Contact on your Residential account can:

• make payments on your account, including with respect to any payment plans or overdue amounts
• request an extension or set up certain payment plans on your account (being an Arrears Only, Arrears Plus, or SmoothPay payment plan)
• request a refund to the same bank account from which the original payment was made
• speak with Alinta Energy on your behalf in relation to any payment plans, overdue amounts, complaints, or bill disputes.

A Secondary Contact on your Residential account can’t:

• sign you up for any additional Alinta Energy products and services
• close, cancel, transfer, or upgrade your account
• arrange a move out
• change any of your account details, including in relation to adding or removing any concession cards or adding another secondary contact
• deregister any Life Support registered to the premises
• access your MyAccount.

You can set up a Secondary Contact (Residential) by using the Letter of Authority here.

Secondary Contact (Small Business):

A Secondary Contact on your small business account can:

• request an extension or set up certain payment plans on your account (being an Arrears Only or Arrears Plus)
• request a refund to the same bank account from which the original payment was made
• speak with Alinta Energy on your behalf in relation to any payment plans, overdue amounts, complaints, or bill disputes.

A Secondary Contact on your small business can’t:

• sign you up for any additional Alinta Energy products and services
• close, cancel, transfer, or upgrade your account
• change any of your account details, including in relation to adding or removing any concession cards or adding another secondary contact.

You can set up a Secondary Contact (SME) by using the Letter of Authority here.

Authorised Representative (Support Person):

An Authorised Representative (Support Person) can:

• request an extension or set up certain payment plans on your account (being an Arrears Only, Arrears Plus, or SmoothPay, or another Hardship Plan)
• request a refund to the same bank account from which the original payment was made
• speak with Alinta Energy on your behalf in relation to any payment plans, overdue amounts, complaints, or bill disputes
• receive account information for the purposes of providing you with financial counselling
• be your ‘Support Person’ in the context of Alinta Energy’s Hardship Program or Family Violence Policy.

An Authorised Representative (Support Person) can’t:

• sign you up for any additional Alinta Energy products and services
• close, cancel, transfer, or upgrade your account
• arrange a move out
• change any of your account details, including in relation to adding or removing any concession cards or adding another secondary contact
• deregister any Life Support registered to the premises
• access your MyAccount.

You can set up an Authorised Representative (Support Person) by using the Letter of Authority here.

What is an additional contact?

At Alinta Energy we understand you may want other people in your household, family, support network, or business, to be able to act on your behalf when it comes to managing your energy account.

While you can add a contact to make some decisions on your behalf, it is important to remember as the Primary Account Holder most decisions will still need to be made by you. You will also remain financially responsible for your account and any decisions made on your behalf.

There are three different types of additional contacts that you can add to your account:

1. Secondary Contact (Residential) – For when you want to add another contact to your residential energy account to help manage and administer your account;
2. Secondary Contact (Small Business) – For when you, the director, partner, or sole trader of your business, want to add another contact to your business energy account to help manage and administer your account; and
3. Authorised Representative – For when you want to add a financial counsellor, Support Worker, or other hardship or Family Violence support person to your account.

How do I add a secondary contact to my account?

If you would like to add a secondary contact to your account, you can do this by contacting our Customer Service Team on 1300 108 613.

Both you and your additional contact will need to be present for the conversation.

What can and can’t secondary contacts do?

Secondary Contact (Residential):

A Secondary Contact on your Residential account can:

• Speak on your behalf in relation to any payment plans, overdue amounts, complaints or bill disputes.
• Make ad hoc payments to your account(s), including with respect to any payment plans or overdue amounts.
• Request a payment extension to your account(s).
• Request to set up or modify a payment plan for your account(s), if the bank details are in the Secondary Contacts name.
• Request to change payment details on an existing payment plan from your bank details to their details.

A Secondary Contact on your Residential account can’t:

• Change any of your personal information including email address, contact phone number, mailing address or adding another secondary contact or authorised person.
• Request a copy bill be sent other than via the current delivery method.
• Access your banking details. e.g. bank account number.
• Sign up you up to additional Alinta Energy products & services.
• Cancel a transfer request;
• Arrange a move out.
• Access your MyAccount.
• Enter into the Alinta Assist Program on your behalf.
• Request a refund.

Secondary Contact (Small Business):

A Secondary Contact on your small business account can:

• Speak on your behalf in relation to any payment plans, overdue amounts, complaints or bill disputes.
• Make ad hoc payments to your account(s), including with respect to any payment plans or overdue amounts.
• Request a payment extension to your account(s).

A Secondary Contact on your small business can’t:

• Change any of your personal information including email address, contact phone number, mailing address or adding another secondary contact or authorised person.
• Request a copy bill be sent other than via the current delivery method.
• Access your banking details. e.g., bank account number.
• Sign up you up to additional Alinta Energy products and services.
• Cancel a transfer request.
• Terminate an agreed Contract.
• Request a refund.

Authorised Representative:

An Authorised Representative can:

• Speak on your behalf in relation to any payment plans, overdue amounts, complaints or bill disputes.
• Make ad hoc payments to your account(s), including with respect to any payment plans or overdue amounts.
• Request a payment extension to your account(s).
• Request to set up or modify a payment plan for your account(s), if the bank details are in the Secondary Contacts name.
• Request to change payment details on an existing payment plan from your bank details to their details.
• Receive account information for the purposes of providing you with financial counselling.
• Be your 'Support Person' in the context of Alinta Energy's Hardship Program or Family Violence Policy.
• Enter into the Alinta Assist Program on your behalf and agree a payment plan.

An Authorised Representative can’t:

• Change any of your personal information including email address, contact phone number, mailing address or adding another secondary contact or authorised person.
• Request a copy bill to be sent other than via the current delivery method.
• Access your banking details. e.g., bank account number.
• Sign up you up to additional Alinta Energy products and services.
• Cancel a transfer request.
• Arrange a move out.
• Access your MyAccount.
• Request a refund.