Payments, Cancellation and Refund Management Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to detail how Link Resources (LR) manages payments, cancellations and refunds

LR is committed to the fair and transparent application of fees and charges (including the processing of refunds) and makes every effort to ensure potential clients and participants are made aware of its Fees, Charges and Refunds Policy prior to accepting a participant for enrolment.

Scope

This policy applies to all employees processing enrolments and any persons conducting business with LR. The policy applies to all fees and charges applicable to the provision of nationally recognised training under the LR scope of Registration.

Definitions

Term	Definition
LR	Defined as a combination of companies: Link Resources Pty Ltd, Link Resources Training Pty Ltd, Link Resources KRS Pty Ltd, Link Resources Tectra Pty Ltd and eventually Australian 4×4 & Advanced Driver Education.% of the full course fee
Funded enrolment	Participant has met eligibility criteria to enrol into a LR course using State or Federal Government funding initiative.
Client	Individual or client who enrols into a LR training program or service.

1. Introduction

LR may charge for services and resources provided such as enrolment administration, copies of academic reports, learning resources, text books, additional copies or re-issuing of qualifications; statements of attainment; and academic transcripts, changes of enrolment, and follow-up charges associated with late marking of assessments and re-issue of records in general.

Where course fees, administration charges or other charges are applicable, these are due and payable on the specified due dates on the tax invoice or payment schedule issued. Payment can generally be made by direct bank deposit or credit card.

A Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) or Chartered Accountant certifies the accounts of LR annually. The CEO is responsible for effective management of the organisation’s finances.

2. Protection of Fees Paid in Advance

LR will make adequate provision to safeguard participants’ fees/funds, particularly payments made for courses and services. The advance payment of fees are deposited and protected by the organisations bank account. No more than $1,500 will be collected from an individual participant prior to the commencement of the training. During the enrolment period the remainder of the course fees will be collected.

3. Guarantee to Provide Training and Assessment

Our goal is to provide participants consistently with a superior participant learning experience, whether at enquiry stage, sign-up, or during the normal course of a study program. This Service Guarantee lets participants know what can and should be expected from LR, and what we are doing to hold ourselves accountable every day.

We make the following guarantee:

• Provide clients with the opportunity to be re-assessed
• Where further training is identified outside of the course timeframes, arrangements will be made to undertake further assessments
• Where clients require further training outside of the course timeframes, additional costs may be incurred
• We will treat clients with courtesy and respect at all times
• Any personal information divulged to LR will be kept in the strictest confidence
• Reasonable adjustments will be applied to suit differing client needs (without compromising the integrity of the assessment outcomes required of the units of competence)
• Clients can contact us 24 hours a day by email and eight hours a day during business hours by phone
• Course fees will be all-inclusive and full disclosure of fees

4. Payment of Fees and Charges – Fee for Service

LR guarantees the sound financial position of the business. We take measures to ensure that course fees paid in advance (no more than $1500/individual) are identified and protected and the business maintains appropriate insurance policies.

Course fees are set at competitive rates and will be advised prior to enrolment in a course. These fees vary from course to course. Updated fees are viewable at LR website.

Course fees are due and payable as specified on the tax invoice or on the payment schedule issued. No more than $1,500 will be collected from an individual participant prior to the commencement of the training. During the enrolment period the remainder of the course fees will be collected.

Conditions of payment and amounts will be agreed upon between the client and LR. The coordination of payments will be confirmed and applied by the LR Finance Department.

5. Payment of Fees and Charges – Funded Enrolment

Clients (or their employers) engaged through a funded enrolment, will be made aware at the time of enrolment of the funding applicable to their enrolment, as well as any additional fees (such as compulsory administration charges) and different refund conditions.

Funded enrolments are subject to differing fee structures (dictated by the funding authority) and are applicable to each funding initiative. At time of enrolment the funded participant will be advised of the required fees, charges and refund policies applicable to their funded enrolment.

6. Payment Terms

For clients enrolling individually (i.e. not part of a group booking on behalf of an employer), it is LR policy to invoice and collect payment prior to commencement of the course. Should any monies be outstanding, they will be collected on the day.

For group bookings, an invoice will be generated to the company/employer contact upon commencement of the course. The standard terms are fourteen (14) days.

Course fees are due and payable as specified on the tax invoice or at time of online enrolment.

7. Additional Resource Costs

Clients are advised prior to or at the time of enrolment of any additional material and/or resource charges (such as text books, equipment requirements etc.) that may apply.

8. Non-payment of Fees

A final notice will be issued within two (2) weeks following the debt due date if the debt remains outstanding.
Failure to pay the outstanding amount within fourteen (14) days of the final notice may result in any or all of the following, until the full amount is paid:

• Suspension from attending face-to-face delivery components of a course
• Loss of access to client support
• Loss of access to enrolment record information and academic transcripts
• Inability to graduate and be issued a certificate/qualification or statement of attainment
• Termination of the enrolment
• Report a breach of a Training Contract (Trainees under Government funding or other State and Federal funding initiatives).

Clients are required to pay all outstanding fees prior to completion of their qualification or course. A Certificate or Statement of Attainment will not be issued to a participant until all course fees have been paid in full.

9. Client Payments

If an individual or organisation / company wishes to make a booking with LR, they have the following options booking/ payment options:

• Full payment prior to course commencement (payment can be made by cash, credit card or direct deposit)
• Provide a Purchase Order
• Apply to become an account holder with a credit limit

Deposits

From time to time, deposits may be required to secure a place on an upcoming course. These deposits are non-refundable.

Late arrivals

Arriving late to a course affects the learning outcomes of all clients. LR reserves the right to refuse entry to participants arriving 20 minutes after scheduled start time. In this case, the client will forfeit 50% of the course fee.

10. Cancellations

Cancellations are addressed according to the amount of notice provided.

Notification Provided	Fee
7 calendar days or more	No charge / full refund
6 calendar days	50% of the full course fee
5 calendar days	75% of the full course fee
4 calendar days or less	100% of the full course fee

• If a client, cancels at or more than seven (7) calendar days prior to the commencement of their course, there will be no charge or a full refund will be issued.
• If a client) cancels six (6) calendar days prior to the commencement of their course and the fees have not yet paid, they will be invoiced 50% of the full course fee.
• If a client cancels five (5) calendar days prior to the commencement of their course and the fees have not yet paid, they will be invoiced 75% of the full course fee.
• If a client cancels four (4) or less calendar days prior to the commencement of their course and the fees have not yet paid, they will be invoiced 100% of the full course fee.

Additional Information

This agreement does not remove the right to take further action under Australia’s consumer protection laws.

LR Complaints and Appeals do not restrict the client’s right to pursue other legal remedies.

In the event of clients who DO NOT complete their course/qualification in the specified timeframe will incur additional charges. Clients may purchase the following extensions;

• Three months – $300.00
• Six months – $500.00 or full course fee (whichever is less)
• Re-training – Full course fee
• Reassessment – 50% of full course fee

11. Refunds

As detailed above; fees will be refunded only in the following circumstances:

• Provider (LR) default
• Client Cancelation more than seven (7) calendar days from course commencement

A provider defaults refund will be permitted when:

• Prior to commencement; should LR cancel a course before it commences, participants will be offered alternate dates (if the training is being rescheduled), or a full-refund.
• For training that has commenced; in the unlikely event that LR is unable to deliver the training the participant will be offered a full refund, or the option to enroll with another RTO and LR will assist in both finding a suitable RTO and in the transition to the new RTO.
• The course ceases to be provided at any time after its starts but before it is completed.

If a client has been confirmed on a workshop, sent a ‘booking confirmation’ and does not attend the training, no refunds will apply.

If a client cancels their course seven (7) or more calendar days prior to training commencing, all fees will be refunded.

All refunds will be made within fourteen (14) days after the default day or cancellation day. LR will give the student a statement that explains how the amount has been worked out. Refunds will only be given to the person who paid the fees. Therefore, if the employer of the student paid the fees the refund will go to the employer.

Fees will not be refunded if:

• The student’s personal circumstances change
• The client withdraws from the course within seven (7) calendar days of the commencement of the first day of training (see cancellations);
• The student does not start on the agreed date;
• The student starts the course and withdraws from the course before completion;
• Should a student become seriously ill or suffer exceptional circumstances of a compassionate nature (such as death or severe illness in the immediate family) and can no longer continue their study, LR may refund the balance of the unused fees. This fee refund is wholly at the discretion of LR. Appropriate evidence, such as a medical certificate may be required.
• This agreement does not remove the right to take further action under Australia’s consumer protection laws.

Termination due to breach

LR reserves the right to expel a student for serious breach of discipline. In this case fees will not be refunded.

Payment of Refunds

All applicable refunds will be made payable via Electronic Funds Transfer where original payment was made via direct deposit or reversed back to the credit card original payment was deducted from.
Note: Applicable refunds may be provided to employers who have paid course fees on behalf of the client.

Requests for Refund of Fees

Requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to and all requests will be reviewed within five (5) working days. Clients will be advised of the decision either by phone or email. Approved refunds will be processed within thirty (30) working days of the decision outcome.

Appealing Refund Decisions

Clients are referred to the LR Complaints and Appeals Policy if they wish to appeal the implementation of the Payments, Cancellations and Refund Management Policy.

This policy, and the availability of complaints and appeals processes, does not remove the right of the participant to take action under Australia’s consumer protection law should they wish to do so.

12. Receipts

A LR invoice will be emailed to the client on receipt of payment.

All payments are tracked in an accounting package and reconciled against bank records, and daily EFTPOS reconciliation reports.

13. Certificate Replacements

If a student loses or misplaces their certificate, and requests Link Resources Training to provide a replacement they have the below options:

• Replacement of original certificate posted $30
• Replacement of original certificate in person $25
• Electronic version of certificate $15 

References

● Complaints and Appeals Policy

Document Control

Document Name:	LR-POL-15 Payments, Cancellation and Refund Management Policy Version 1.6
Author:	Compliance Officer
Approved By:	Quality & Compliance Manager
Approval Date:	03 Oct 2022
Review Date:	12 months from approval date