BPAY VIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What is BPAY View?
BPAY View is a way for you to receive and view your bills through the secure environment of your financial institution’s Internet banking website.
Once registered for BPAY View through your Internet banking site, you are able to view, pay and track payments at any time via one log in for your summary bill, making the management of your bills easy.
Imagine being on holidays or travelling and not having to worry about bills sitting unpaid in your letter box. BPAY View allows you to log on from any secure environment to check for bills, schedule a payment, or pay them immediately through BPAY.
Why use BPAY View?
BPAY View gives you the convenience of having your bills sent to the secure environment of your financial institution’s Internet banking site where you are able to pay them immediately or schedule a payment.
- It means never losing a bill again.
- You can view and pay your bills when it suits you, day or night.
- It gives you the ability to still pay your bill through any payment method the biller offers – BPAY is one easy option.
- You can save, store and file your bills electronically - reducing the piles of paper in your home.
- You are still able to print out a copy of your paper bill for those times when you need it.
- By saving on paper, BPAY View is environmentally friendly.
- You can choose which bills you want to receive via BPAY View and if you decide that you wish to return to receiving paper bills it is a simple click to turn BPAY View off.
Click here to see which bills are available through BPAY View
Where do I use BPAY View?
BPAY View is a service offered through your Internet banking site. To register for Internet banking you will need to contact your financial institution. Click here for financial institution details.Which financial institutions offer BPAY View?
Click here to find out.Which bills can I receive with BPAY View?
For a full list of active BPAY View billers click here.Financial institutions participating in BPAY View also provide a list of BPAY View billers on their Internet banking sites.
How do I register to receive a bill via BPAY View?
- Log onto your financial institution’s Internet banking site.
- Go to the BPAY View, View Bills or Bills section.
- Select from the list of bills available and enter the BPAY View registration number and other information in the fields shown. Note that you must have your paper bill with you when you complete the registration, as each biller requires you to enter different information. Click here to find the step by step registration guide for your bill.
- Once you have completed the registration screen, your request will usually be processed within two working days. You will be notified electronically whether your request is successful or unsuccessful
- Your financial institution’s Internet banking service will notify you when your first BPAY View bill arrives.
In the BPAY View registration process why do I have to enter information that my financial institution must already have?
It is the biller that verifies and approves the registration request not the financial institution. As such, the biller requires you to actively request to receive their bills via BPAY View. This request includes the provision of details that the biller can use to ensure that you are authorised to receive the bill.Once I have entered my registration details, how long will it take before my application to use BPAY View is processed?
Once you have completed the registration screen, your request will usually be processed within two working days. Your Internet banking service will notify you of your successful registration.My registration failed. What do I do now?
Firstly check that you have entered the required details exactly as they appear on your paper bill.
Click here for biller-specific step by step registration guides for BPAY View.
If you require more information on why your registration was unsuccessful you will need to contact the biller directly. Contact details for billers are available through your financial institution’s Internet banking site.
Is BPAY View safe?
BPAY View is offered within the secure environment of your financial institution’s Internet banking site.
When a new company decides to offer their bills through BPAY View, BPAY has a framework of policies and procedures to ensure the billing company keeps your data and privacy protected. The registration process requires certain information to be provided to the biller. The biller then uses this information to verify that you are the person authorised to receive this bill, and they will approve or reject your application accordingly.
If you decide to pay a bill presented to you via BPAY View with BPAY, your payment is made within the secure environment of your financial institution’s Internet banking site. The only parties who are authorised to have access to information held by the BPAY payments system are the participating billers and financial institutions. Additionally, BPAY does not receive any identifying personal or individual account details at any point during the payment process.
As BPAY is part of Internet banking, consumers are also protected by the Electronic Funds Transfer Code of Conduct (EFT Code). Thousands of Australians pay their bills with BPAY every day using the Internet and phone banking services of over 170 financial institutions, building societies and credit unions.
As with all aspects of Internet or phone banking, it is vital that you protect information such as your PIN or passwords. Always log onto your Internet banking site by entering the full web address in your Internet browser – never follow a link.
For further details of the security features provided to you by your financial institution, and how to protect your personal information, contact your financial institution. To find your financial institution's contact details click here.
BPAY does not receive any identifying personal or individual account details at any point during the BPAY payment process.
What will BPAY View cost?
BPAY View is a service offered through your financial institution. Contact your financial institution to see if any fees apply.When will I receive my bills through BPAY View?
Your normal billing cycle will continue once you have registered with BPAY View. You can expect to receive your BPAY View bills at approximately the same time as you currently receive your paper bills.How will I know when I have BPAY View bills?
This varies depending on which financial institution you conduct your Internet banking with. You will be informed, or given a choice, as to how your financial institution will notify you of a new BPAY View bill.
Generally, you will receive either an email sent to your nominated email address or an online message when you log onto your Internet banking website notifying you of the arrival of any new BPAY View bills.
What does a BPAY View bill look like?
You can choose from two 'levels' of bill with BPAY View.
A summary bill: This provides you with a summary of all the current BPAY View bills that have been sent to you. For each BPAY View bill you will be able to view key information such as the biller's name, your BPAY customer reference number, the amount due and the due date of payment.
From the summary bill screen you have the option to pay the BPAY View bill via BPAY (either in full or partially) or to view a more detailed bill.
A detailed bill: From the summary bill you are able to view a more detailed bill, similar in detail to a bill you would currently receive in the post.
How do I see the detailed bill?
Once at the summary bill page, you will need to select the BPAY View bill that you wish to see in detail.
Depending on your financial institution:
- you may need to click on the name of the biller to automatically launch the detailed bill; or
- you will need to select the “show detailed bill” option.
For help with Internet banking and viewing the detailed bill you will need to contact your financial institution’s Internet banking helpdesk – locate their contact details here.
What if I require a paper copy of my BPAY View bill?
If you require a paper copy of your BPAY View bill, you are able to print a copy of your detailed bill. If a printed copy of your BPAY View bill will not suffice, you can contact your biller to request a hard copy of the bill. Some billers may charge for this service.How can I pay my BPAY View bill?
By using BPAY View, paying your bills via BPAY becomes even simpler. By selecting the BPAY View bill you wish to pay from your BPAY View summary bill list you can click on the "pay bill" option and your BPAY codes (the biller code and customer reference number for that bill) will be automatically entered - ensuring that details are correct for each payment.
In addition to BPAY, you can still make a payment through any of the other options the biller provides as shown on your detailed bill.
Do I have to pay BPAY View bill through BPAY?
With BPAY View you can make a payment through any of the options the biller provides, as shown on your detailed bill. BPAY is one of those options, and it is made even simpler via BPAY View, as explained above.Do I get charged a surcharge for using my credit card account to pay a BPAY View bill via BPAY?
Some biller companies may charge a surcharge for payments made from a credit card account. This is at the discretion of the biller, and the surcharge would normally be added to the next bill.
A number of biller companies also do not accept payment via credit card account. However, this varies and is at the discretion of the biller providing the bill. Click here and type in the biller company name, to find the payment options offered by a specific biller (link to biller company search).
How will I know if I have paid a BPAY View bill?
The way the summary bills are displayed varies between different financial institutions. However, if you pay a BPAY View bill using BPAY from your Internet banking site:- some financial institutions will mark the BPAY View bill as “paid” in your summary bill;
- some financial institutions’ websites may require you to manually mark that a BPAY View bill has been paid (or partially paid) in the summary bill screen, and
- some financial institutions supply a record of which BPAY View bills have been paid under the 'Bill payment’ list.
Can I use my BPAY View bill as tax records?
BPAY View bills may be retained in electronic form for income tax purposes. The ATO states that a printed copy of a BPAY View bill, in addition to either a bank statement confirming the payment date and amount or a payment receipt issued electronically by BPAY, is sufficient for an individual to substantiate a work-related expenses claim to the ATO.
So generally, a combination of a BPAY View bill and an official printed confirmation of electronic payment or bank statement showing the amount and date of payment, is acceptable for tax records. There may be additional requirements for business BPAY customers. Please contact the ATO or your tax adviser if you require more information.
How can I dispute a BPAY View bill?
Contact the biller directly via the contact details on the detailed bill.
BPAY payment queries should be directed to your financial institution.
Will I still receive a paper bill?
It depends on the individual biller.
Billers may stop sending a paper bill as soon as you start receiving BPAY View bills or may provide both for a period of time. Some billers may be required by law to continue to also send a paper bill. Contact the relevant biller for further information.
How long will the bill be available at my financial institution’s Internet banking site?
Your BPAY View bill will be available at your Internet banking site at least until your next BPAY View bill for that biller and particular service arrives. Most Internet banking sites will continue to make the summary bill available after this date allowing you to keep a record of your BPAY View bills. You can also save a copy of the detailed bill on your computer for future reference.Can I cancel or stop receiving a BPAY View bill?
Yes. Simply select that biller within the BPAY View section of your Internet banking site and use the deactivate biller option, this will instruct your biller to stop sending your bills through BPAY View and, delivery of your paper bills will resume.Why do I continue to receive a paper copy of some BPAY View bills?
Some billers are required by law to continue to send the paper bill. Contact the billing company for further information.Why can’t I view my BPAY View bill? (For Billers with Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format bills)
First make sure that your PC meets the minimum system requirements, as specified for your Internet banking site. The typical minimum configuration for the operating system is Microsoft Windows 95 and above. For browsers it is Internet Explorer version 5.0 or above, and Netscape Communicator version 4.77 or above.
Second, check that Adobe Reader is not configured for viewing the bill within the Internet browser; this can be done as follows:
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Adobe Reader Version 4.0 or 4.5 |
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Adobe Reader Version 5.x |
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Adobe Reader Version 6.x or 7.x |
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If this fails, try the following:
- uninstall all current version of Adobe Acrobat from your PC and reinstall the latest version. (You can obtain the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader from www.adobe.com); and
- if you are trying to download your bill at work, you made need to your check firewall, file downloading and security policies with your IT help desk.
Would I ever receive an email from BPAY?
No, BPAY does not hold personal information on any consumer. All correspondence relating to BPAY or a BPAY payment would come from your financial institution. Be wary with any emails that contain links to a financial institution, contact your financial institution to find out further information on their email and privacy policies.
The only emails sent to consumers by BPAY are direct responses to questions asked through this web site, again no links to financial institutions are contained in these emails.
Why can I not view my detailed bill when using an Apple Mac?
BPAY is aware that when users attempt to view the detailed bill of some BPAY View Billers from an Apple Mac, specifically Optus, they may not be able to do so if they are using an Internet Browser other than Microsoft Internet Explorer. This is a known problem within BPAY View which is currently in the process of being resolved.
To view their detailed bill in these circumstances, users are recommended to access their internet banking site via a Windows based PC, or using Microsoft Internet Explorer on a Mac.
Are there any environmental benefits to BPAY View?
We recognise that Australians are looking for opportunities to make more ecologically sounds choices. BPAY View is an enabler for better environmental outcomes. Since its launch in 2002, BPAY View has helped financial institutions to electronically present 8,209,797 bills. Conservatively estimating that there is an average of two pages per bill, 16,419,594 pieces of paper have not been distributed via the traditional mail methodTo give this some perspective, Planet Ark conducted an environmental review on the impact of saving paper via BPAY View. They found that in 2007, 27 BPAY View billers and users helped to save
- 50 tonnes of paper (1,045 trees)
- 1.35 million litres of water (21 large domestic swimming pools),
- Reduced green house gas emissions by 80 tonnes (equivalent to 17 homes for one year)
