A scheduled payment has failed — what happens next?

If a scheduled payment on your plan fails, the Payble system will automatically try to help get your plan back on track. In most cases, you don’t need to take immediate action — but it’s important to understand what happens next and when you may need to step in.

Why did my payment fail?

A scheduled payment can fail for a number of reasons, including:

• Insufficient funds

• Expired or cancelled card

• Invalid or closed bank account

• Payment details being stopped by the bank

When this happens, Council receives a failure response from the bank.

What happens after a payment fails?

1. Your plan enters a “repair” state

After a failed payment, your plan is temporarily marked as repairing. This means the system will automatically retry the payment to give it a chance to succeed without disrupting your plan.

2. Payble retries the payment automatically

Payble will retry the failed payment every 48 hours, usually within the timeframe of your next scheduled instalment.

• Most plans allow up to two retry attempts

• Each retry is a full payment attempt

• User-initiated payments (such as paying early or paying the remainder) do not count as retry attempts

If one of the retries is successful, your plan continues as normal.

3. You’ll be notified

If a scheduled payment fails, Payble will send a notification to your chosen authentication method (such as SMS or email). These notifications will:

• Let you know the payment has failed

• Advise if and when Council will retry the payment

• Confirm if your plan has been cancelled (if applicable)

What if the retries fail?

If all retry attempts fail:

• The instalment is marked as missed

• Missed payments are treated more seriously than skipped payments

• Repeated missed instalments may lead to automatic plan cancellation, depending on your plan type and payment frequency

Payble applies automatic cancellation rules to help minimise dishonour fees and prevent debt from increasing unexpectedly.

When won’t the system retry the payment?

Some failures cannot be retried automatically. If a payment fails due to reasons such as:

• Invalid BSB

• Account closed

• Payment stopped

• Incorrect account details

The system will not retry the payment until you update your payment details. You’ll be prompted to log in and make this update.

What do I need to do?

If you receive a failed payment notification, the most important step is to:

Correct your payment method, or transfer funds.

Once your payment details are corrected, Payble can continue retrying payments or allow future instalments to proceed successfully.

Who should I contact if I have questions?

For any questions about failed payments, instalments, or plan outcomes:

Your council is the first and only point of contact

Payble manages the payment process, but your council controls account balances, enforcement rules, and next steps if a plan is cancelled.