Instructions

Information reported by BTCA is designed as a guide only. It is not a rating and nor is it intended to be an opinion or a recommendation. Information reported is obtained from supplying subscribers aged debtor trial balances and is factual in nature only. BTCA does not and cannot warrant the correctness, accuracy or completeness of the information supplied to it by its subscribers.  If BTCA becomes specifically aware that any information that it reports is incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete, it will take reasonable steps to correct that information as soon as reasonably practicable, however, it does not audit or otherwise verify or test any information that is provided to it by subscribers. BTCA is reliant on its subscribers providing it with correct, accurate and complete information.

BTCA publishes percentages that are equal to current balance + 30 day balance as a percentage of the total balance e.g. 100% means no money is owed at 60 days & over, 60% means 40% of the total owed is aged at 60 days & over.

100% for a debtor could imply a good payer. < 100% suggests that a debtor might be a slow payer, but it does not say that the debtor is a bad payer. BTCA recommends that subscribers should generally contact the supplying subscribers which are listed at the very bottom of the page to determine the reasons behind the reported payment pattern. By contacting the supplying subscribers you can:

• Determine if there are any “retention balances” involved. While we request that subscribers delete these balances before sending monthly data to BTCA, some are unable to do so;
• Determine if there are any “rebate balances” involved;
• Determine if there is a valid dispute or special payment terms;
• Identify any other issues that cannot be revealed by figures alone.

A blank percentage means there was no reported information as opposed to 0% which means all money was 60 days & over.

Subscribers should also be aware that the information provided by BTCA represents only a sample and the debtor may have other suppliers that are not BTCA subscribers. This means that the BTCA sample could represent only a small part of the total credit supplied to the debtor.

Finally, and as noted in the disclaimer, if you are making a decision on the basis of information obtained from BTCA, you do so at your own risk. It is a condition of use that subscribers cannot state expressly or impliedly that any decision made was based wholly or in part on data from BTCA.

Terms and Conditions

1. Each subscriber acknowledges that key information that is provided as part of the services provided by BTCA is made available by other subscribers (a “Providing Subscriber”) and BTCA cannot and does not verify its correctness, completeness or fitness. Each subscriber accordingly agrees that BTCA does not and cannot guarantee the correctness, completeness or fitness for any particular purpose of information provided by Providing Subscribers.
2. Each Providing Subscriber warrants and represents to BTCA that it has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the information provided is correct, accurate and complete, to the best of its knowledge. Further each Providing Subscriber agrees that if it comes to its attention that any information is not wholly accurate, correct or complete, it will inform BTCA as soon as reasonably practicable.
3. If BTCA is made specifically aware that any information that it provides as part of its services is incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete, it will take reasonable steps to correct that information as soon as reasonably practicable. Each subscriber acknowledges however that BTCA is reliant on its Providing Subscribers giving it correct, accurate and complete information and that BTCA does not audit or otherwise verify or test such information as part of the BTCA services..
4. Each subscriber expressly acknowledges that:
   1. information provided as part of the BTCA services (“BTCA information”) is raw information concerning the status of debtors’ unpaid invoices;
   1. BTCA information does not indicate the reason why an account is unpaid and a subscriber cannot and should not infer any reason without speaking to the relevant Providing Subscriber;
   1.  it will not and cannot rely on BTCA information for the purpose of making any decision about the provision of credit or related matters;
   1. any such decision should be taken after speaking to the relevant Providing Subscriber to properly understand the relevant information;
5. Each Providing Subscriber agrees to make reasonable efforts to provide such further information to other subscribers as they may reasonably require to clarify any information provided by them to BTCA.
6. It is agreed that BTCA services shall not be available at all times, but may be subject to interruption from time to time whether due to an upgrade or to external service providers. BTCA shall however take reasonable steps to ensure that the services are generally available for subscribers during business hours.
7. Each subscriber shall comply with the Australian Privacy Principles, as they apply from time to time.
8. No subscriber shall provide access to BTCA services or information to any person who is not a subscriber.
9. Each subscriber acknowledges that the BTCA services are not services of a kind ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic or household use or consumption.
10. BTCA accepts no liability for consequential loss or damage including any loss of profit arising from any breach of these terms and conditions PROVIDED THAT, subject to clause 11, BTCA remains liable for damages for any breach of the consumer guarantees in Subdivision B in Part 3.2 (the “Consumer Guarantees”) in the Australian Consumer Law (as defined in the Competition and Consumer Act 2010).
11. Each subscriber acknowledges and agrees that in accordance with section 64A of the Australian Consumer Law, the total liability of BTCA for any breach of these terms and conditions and for any breach of the Consumer Guarantees shall not exceed the greater of the payment of the cost of having the BTCA services supplied again and the amount of the fee for providing BTCA services for the duration of the breach.

Disclaimer

The subscriber acknowledges that BTCA does not and cannot guarantee the correctness, completeness or fitness for a particular purpose of information or product supplied. The subscriber acknowledges that every business decision, to some degree or another, represents the assumption of a risk, and that BTCA in providing information does not and cannot underwrite the subscriber’s risk in any manner whatsoever. The subscriber therefore agrees that BTCA shall not be liable for any loss or injury arising out of or caused in whole or in part either by BTCA’s negligent acts or omissions or those of its officers, agents or employees in providing information or products to the subscriber. BTCA accepts no liability for consequential loss or damage attributed to the information or products provided to the subscriber. Furthermore, it is expressly agreed that the total liability of BTCA, if any, shall not exceed the cost of providing the BTCA information or products.

Privacy Act

BTCA is deemed a Trade Bureau and does not report on consumer credit. BTCA is not a ‘Credit Reporting Body’ and as such is not subject to the requirements of the legislation under Part 111A of the Privacy Act 1988. BTCA assumes that the information you provide specifically relates to commercial creditors not to consumer creditors.  BTCA specifically requests that you do not provide information regarding consumer customers as the Privacy Act deals with consumer credit differently.