FAQs - PayTo

PayTo

Find answers to frequently asked questions about PayTo. If you’d like to learn even more about PayTo, click here.

1. What is PayTo?

PayTo is a new digital payments service you can use to pre-authorise one-off or recurring near real-time payments from an eligible bank account to an authorised third party. It’s an alternative to the current direct debit system. 

2. Who offers PayTo?

NPP-enabled banks, building societies, credit unions and payment service providers are expected to support PayTo for their payer customers. Once available, PayTo will roll out progressively from merchants, service providers and other users that have opted to integrate PayTo. 

• Merchants will offer PayTo as an alternative payment method for products and services such as subscriptions, online or in-app purchases.
• Businesses may use PayTo to authorise third parties to manage payments on their behalf, such as payroll and accounts payable.
• Third parties such as fintechs and payments service providers may incorporate PayTo into their own service offerings to broaden their capabilities.

 

3. How does PayTo work?

A PayTo agreement is agreed between a Member (Payer) and a business, institution or Merchant (Payment Initiator or Payee). PayTo agreements can be authorised within a Member’s Internet Banking where they can also pause, resume or cancel a PayTo agreement. 

4. How do I set up a PayTo agreement?

You can set up a PayTo agreement with a merchant or business that offers PayTo as a payment option.

5. Can I provide my bank details to a Merchant or third party to set up a PayTo agreement?

To set up a PayTo agreement you can provide the merchant or payment initiator with a PayID you have created for your account, or your account’s BSB and account number (being either the unique account number or your member number together with your account code e.g. S1). 

You are responsible for ensuring that the PayID or BSB and account number you provide for the purpose of establishing a payment agreement are correct. Any personal information or data you provide to a merchant or payment initiator will be subject to the privacy policy and terms and conditions of the relevant merchant or payment initiator. You should not set up a payment agreement with a merchant or payment initiator using only your BSB and member number without the unique account code (e.g. S1). If you do, we will reject the payment agreement.

6. How can I manage my PayTo Payment Agreements?

You can manage your PayTo agreements within Internet Banking.

7. What is my daily limit for PayTo payments?

There are no daily limits for a PayTo Payment Agreement.

9. How much does it cost to use PayTo?

Registering for PayTo is completely optional and there are no Firefighters Mutual Bank fees for you to use it.

8. Do I need to use a PayID with PayTo?

PayTo agreements can be created using a PayID linked to your bank account or by using your BSB and account number. 

10. What happens if I have insufficient funds in my account for a PayTo Payment?

A real-time funds availability check occurs at the time of a PayTo Payment. If there are insufficient funds, the payment will be rejected and the organisation (Merchant or business) initiating the payment will be notified.

The Merchant with the customer, can either arrange an alternate payment method such as cash or card, or select the option to resubmit a PayTo Payment.

12. What happens if I cancel a PayTo Agreement?

You can cancel a PayTo Agreement just like you can cancel other payment options such as direct debit. However, cancelling a PayTo Agreement does not cancel your contractual obligations. 

11. How will I know a payment has been successful?

You can log in to Internet Banking to check the transaction status of a payment.  

13. Is PayTo a replacement for direct debit?

PayTo is offered as an alternative to the current direct debit system. It can be used for a range of different recurring payment types, including fixed or variable payment amounts and frequencies.

15. How do I cancel a PayTo agreement from my transaction account?

You can cancel the PayTo agreement yourself from Internet Banking.

16. I’m not familiar with a PayTo transaction that has appeared on my account

We will investigate your complaint and we may request that you also endeavour to resolve the complaint with the Merchant or business first.

14. Can my existing direct debits be moved over to PayTo?

If you have an existing direct debit arrangement with a Merchant or a Payment Initiator, the Merchant or Payment Initiator may choose to create a Payment Agreement for the direct debit arrangement to process payments as PayTo Payments instead of as direct debit payments.If a Merchant or a Payment Initiator does this, you will be notified by them that your future payments will be processed from your account through PayTo and you will then have the option of telling the Merchant or Payment Initiator that you do not consent.

If a direct debit arrangement you have set up using only your member number (instead of either your unique account number or your member number together with your account code e.g. S1) is migrated to PayTo as a Migrated DDR, we will allocate it to any of your accounts that allow PayTo in our discretion and the account the Migrated DDR is set up for may be different than the account the direct debit arrangement was previously set up for. Where this is the case we may change the account we have allocated the Migrated DDR to in our discretion, from time to time, unless you have instructed us to change it to a specific account number (see ‘Amending a Payment Agreement’ in the Conditions of Use – Accounts and access for information about how you can amend the account details in Payment Agreements).

17. How do I change a PayTo agreement from another financial institution to my bank or vice versa?

It is not currently possible to transfer a Payment Agreement between accounts with us and accounts with another financial institution. If you want to change a Payment Agreement to an account with another financial institution, you must contact the Merchant to create a new Payment Agreement with the new account details.

19. Is PayTo safe?

PayTo Payments can only be initiated from a bank account if a PayTo Agreement has been pre-authorised by you, the Member. This authorisation is subject to the same levels of security as other payments and transfers from bank accounts.

18. Can someone create or manage a PayTo account on my behalf?

An individual’s PayTo Payments are managed online by the account holder. There may be certain circumstances where an authorised signatory can contact the Bank on your behalf.

20. Could PayTo be susceptible to fraud?

PayTo Agreements are authorised via your Internet Banking account. As with all payment methods, you should be alert to scams and not provide your Internet Banking log in and password details to anyone. When authorising a PayTo Agreement, you are provided with the relevant payment terms by the Merchant or business, so you are aware of what you are authorising.

21. How can I obtain information on my PayTo action history?

If you would like to know the action history of your PayTo Agreements, you can contact the Bank directly.