These terms apply to both recurring credit and debit card payments if you have selected this payment option – effective 12th August 2020
These terms and conditions apply to you where you have set up a credit or debit card authority, authorizing Meridian Energy Limited (“Meridian”, “we” or “us”) to debit your elected card with all amounts billed to your account (“recurring payments”). Except to the extent of any inconsistency, our Standard Terms and Conditions apply in addition to these terms.
1. Authority over the card and agreement to terms and conditions
By selecting this payment method, I confirm:
- I have authority over the credit card or debit card that I am storing with Meridian; and
- I authorize Meridian to charge my elected credit card or debit card with all amounts due on my electricity account on a monthly basis (or such other period as agreed with Meridian), until I terminate this authority. I understand that invoiced amounts will vary; and
- I agree to be bound by the terms and conditions set out below.
2. Terms that apply
I acknowledge and agree that the following terms and conditions apply to recurring credit card or debit card payments:
Types of cards we accept
- You can only make card payments by using Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit and debit cards.
- The option to make payment by credit or debit cards may not be available on all of our pricing plans.
Storage of card details - We store part of your card number to identify the card. To verify your card, we take a pre-authorisation payment of $1. This temporary transaction doesn’t charge your card but verifies that $1 could be charged. The transaction disappears once the card is verified.
- Your full card details will be stored with Payment Express, a trusted online payment solution provider who stores these details in accordance with their policies. You can view Payment Express’s policies on their website www.paymentexpress.com.
Use of your card to pay your invoice - We will continue to process card payments for amounts you owe to us on a monthly basis using your selected card (or such other time period we have agreed with you) until you advise us otherwise. See clauses 2(ml) and (o) below for how to advise us of any changes. You can choose to change your selected card to another card stored on your account, which will then become your default preferred card. We will use the default preferred card you have selected to process card payments for amounts you owe us.
- We will tell you the amount you owe us for the month (or other period agreed with you) and the date we will take payment from your stored card 10 business days before we take payment from your card (or such other period as agreed with you).
- The amount of your invoice is determined based on whether an actual or estimated meter read has been completed. Other fees may be applied to your monthly account, including the surcharge fee (as set out in clause 2(j) below). For more information on how your invoice is determined, please refer to our Standard Terms and Conditions.
- All payments taken from your stored card will be in NZ dollars.
- A record of your payment will be available in your Meridian online account after your transaction has been processed.
Surcharge fee applies to card transactions - All credit card and debit card payments will incur a surcharge fee which will be added as a separate line item on your invoice and added to your invoice amount. If you do not wish to pay a surcharge fee, then do not use a credit or debit card to pay your electricity invoices (instead consider using an alternative payment method such as direct debit). The applicable surcharge fee is set out on our website here.
Transactions that decline - If your payment is declined or reversed by your card issuer (including, for example, because your card has expired or you have insufficient funds available), we will let you know when we will attempt to take payment again. If the transaction is declined during another attempt, we will notify you and we may charge you a dishonour fee as determined in our sole discretion. If this happens you must make alternative arrangements for paying the amount due to us.
- If you have three or more consecutive payments declined or reversed, we may elect (at our sole discretion) to stop accepting credit or debit card payments from you. If we make this election, we will notify you and you will need to pay your invoices by an alternative payment method.
Cancellation, termination and refunds - If you wish to cancel a recurring card payment, you can either make a payment via a different payment means at least 3 business days before payment is due to be taken from your stored card, or you can cancel your recurring payment by logging into your Meridian online account or calling our Contact Centre. We will endeavour to cancel the recurring payment with immediate effect, but there may be circumstances when we are unable to cancel the next payment scheduled.
- If you are owed a refund pursuant to these terms and conditions (for example if a payment was made in error), we will follow the process set out in our Standard Terms and Conditions and we will refund the card that was used to make the payment.
Updating card details - You are responsible for ensuring that you update your card details when you receive a replacement card or change card issuers. Please do this by logging into your Meridian online account or calling our Contact Centre.
- If your card has expired and you have not replaced it with another valid card, we will still attempt to process your payment but you should be aware that it may be declined by your card issuer. If this occurs, clauses 2(k) and (l) above apply.
How to contact us and how we will contact/notify you - If you need to get in touch, our contact details are set out on our website at:https://www.meridianenergy.co.nz/for-home/contact-us
- Where we need to contact you, we will follow the notification requirements set out in our Standard Terms and Conditions.
Changes to these terms and conditions - We reserve the right to make changes to these terms and conditions (including adding or removing any terms) at any time, provided that we will give you notice of such change by either posting the change on our website, sending you an email or letter, or including a statement on your invoice alerting you to the change.