Phone & Internet Billing Dispute: Telco & TIO Complaint

Your phone or internet provider charged you for services you cancelled, won’t fix a fault, or is refusing to let you out of a contract. You have called repeatedly, sat on hold, been promised a callback that never came, and the problem is still not fixed. Claim Done drafts your formal complaint to the provider and your TIO escalation letter for $49.

What the Service Includes

For $49, you receive two documents drafted from your answers to plain questions:

1. Formal complaint to your provider — sets out what happened, what you want fixed or refunded, the deadline for response, and the fact that you intend to escalate to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman if they do not resolve it.
2. TIO escalation letter — if the provider does not respond or does not fix the problem, a second letter that tells them you are lodging a TIO complaint and gives them one final opportunity to resolve it.

You read and approve each document before it is final. Once approved, we email both letters to the provider for you, or you can download and send them yourself.

When to Use This Service

This service is for billing disputes, service faults, contract disputes and poor customer service with phone, internet, mobile or NBN providers in Australia. Common problems:

• Billing errors: charged for a plan you cancelled, billed twice, charged early termination fees you believe you should not owe, or charged for services you never agreed to.
• Faults not fixed: no internet or phone service for an extended period, dropouts, slow speeds well below what you are paying for, and the provider keeps saying it is fixed when it is not.
• Contract disputes: provider won’t let you cancel, claims you are in a contract you never signed, or is charging exit fees when you believe the contract term has ended.
• NBN problems: connection delayed for months, installation problems, or speeds nowhere near what was promised.
• Poor service: ignored complaints, promised callbacks that never happen, or being transferred between departments with no resolution.

The service is available Australia-wide for complaints about any provider: Telstra, Optus, TPG, iiNet, Aussie Broadband, Belong, Vodafone, Dodo, Mate, Superloop or any other carrier.

The Telco Code and Your Complaint

Australian telcos are regulated under the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (the TCP Code), which sets out standards providers are expected to meet. The code deals with matters such as:

• Billing accurately and giving clear information about charges.
• Fixing faults within specified timeframes.
• Contract rights when a provider breaches a contract, including in some cases the ability to cancel without early termination fees.
• Handling complaints fairly and responding within set timeframes.

If you believe your provider has breached the code or the contract, you can complain and ask for compensation, a refund or contract cancellation. The current requirements are set out in the code itself, so check the current version for the details that apply to your situation.

The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is the free independent dispute resolution service for phone and internet complaints. The TIO can investigate a complaint once you have given the provider a chance to resolve it.

How the Complaint Process Works

Step 1: Complain to Your Provider in Writing

The TIO generally expects you to give the provider a chance to fix the problem first. A written complaint is stronger than a phone call because it creates a record, starts the provider’s complaint-handling process, and shows the TIO you gave the provider a fair opportunity.

Your complaint letter sets out:

• Your account details and contact information.
• A clear timeline of what happened — when the problem started, what you were told, what the provider did or did not do.
• What you want: a refund, the fault fixed by a specific date, contract cancellation without fees, compensation for the time you were without service.
• The deadline for the provider to respond.
• A statement that you intend to escalate to the TIO if the problem is not resolved.

Claim Done drafts this letter from your answers. You approve it, then we email it to the provider’s complaints team for you.

Step 2: Wait for the Provider’s Response

The TCP Code sets timeframes within which a provider is expected to acknowledge a complaint and either resolve it or tell you what it is doing about it. Check the current code for the timeframes that apply.

If the provider resolves your complaint — for example, they refund the incorrect charges, fix the fault, or let you out of the contract — the matter is resolved.

If they do not respond, or their response does not fix the problem, you can move to step 3.

Step 3: Escalate to the TIO

Your TIO escalation letter tells the provider you are now lodging a complaint with the TIO. This letter refers to your earlier complaint, the provider’s response (or lack of one), and confirms that you are proceeding to the ombudsman.

You send this letter to the provider, then lodge your complaint directly with the TIO through the TIO’s online complaint form at tio.com.au. The TIO then decides how to handle the complaint and may contact the provider for its response.

Claim Done drafts the TIO escalation letter from the same answers you gave for the first complaint. You approve it, then we email it for you.

What You Can Ask For

Depending on your situation, you can ask for:

• Refund of incorrect charges — any amount you believe was billed in error, including early termination fees you believe you should not owe.
• Compensation for time without service — the TCP Code contains provisions about compensation where a fault is not fixed within the required timeframe. Check the current code for how it applies to your situation.
• Contract cancellation without penalty — where you say the provider breached the contract (for example, by not providing the service at the speed or reliability promised), you can ask to cancel without early termination fees.
• Refund of costs for a temporary service — if you had to get a temporary mobile or internet service because the provider would not fix the fault, you can ask for the cost.
• Compensation for financial loss — if you lost income because you could not work from home due to an internet outage, you can ask for that loss to be considered, although you would need to be able to show it.

Be specific about what you want and how much. The clearer your claim, the easier it is for the provider or the TIO to assess.

Evidence to Gather

Before you start, collect:

• Your bills — especially the bills showing the incorrect charges or the charges for the period when the service was not working.
• Your contract or plan details — the email or PDF showing what you signed up for, the plan speed, the contract term and the early termination fees (if any).
• Fault reports — any reference numbers, ticket numbers or case numbers the provider gave you when you reported the fault.
• Emails, chat transcripts and SMS messages — any written communication with the provider about the problem.
• A timeline — dates when the problem started, when you called, what you were told, when the fault was supposedly fixed, and when it happened again.

You do not need to attach all of this to your complaint letter, but it is sensible to have it ready in case the provider or the TIO asks for it.

What Happens After You Complain

Once the provider receives your written complaint, there are a few possible outcomes:

1. They fix it — they refund the charges, fix the fault, let you cancel, or offer compensation.
2. They respond but do not fix it — they acknowledge your complaint but disagree with your claim, or offer a partial resolution (for example, a small credit instead of the full refund you asked for). You can accept their offer, negotiate, or escalate to the TIO.
3. They ignore it — no response within the required timeframe. You can escalate to the TIO.

If you escalate to the TIO, the TIO may contact the provider and ask for its response. The TIO may try to help the two of you reach a resolution, or it may investigate further. The outcome depends on the facts of your complaint and the TIO’s processes.

How Long Does It Take?

How long a complaint takes depends on the provider, the complexity of the problem and the evidence available. Timeframes for a provider’s response are set by the TCP Code, and the TIO sets its own processes once a complaint is lodged. Check the current TCP Code and the TIO website for the timeframes that apply.

Free Option vs Claim Done

Free option: You can write the complaint yourself and lodge it with the TIO yourself. The TIO complaint form is free and available online. You will need to set out the facts clearly, attach any evidence (bills, fault reports, emails, chat transcripts), and explain what you want.

The challenge is knowing what the TCP Code covers, how to frame the complaint clearly, and what to ask for.

Claim Done ($49): You answer plain questions about what happened, what you were charged, what the provider promised and what you want. Claim Done drafts both the complaint to the provider and the TIO escalation letter, written to refer to the TCP Code. You approve each document before it is sent, and we email them for you. You still lodge the TIO complaint yourself through the TIO’s online form, but you have a structured escalation letter to send first.

How Claim Done Helps

Claim Done takes the guesswork out of complaining to your telco. You answer plain questions about your account, the problem, what you were charged and what you want. Claim Done drafts your complaint to the provider and your TIO escalation letter, both written to refer to the TCP Code.

You read and approve each document before it is final. Once approved, we email both letters to the provider for you, or you can download them and send them yourself. You still lodge the TIO complaint yourself through the TIO’s online form, but you have a clear escalation letter to send first.

The service is $49 for both documents. No subscription, no hidden fees, no ongoing costs. Claim Done is not a law firm and this page is general information, not legal advice.

Start Your Telco Complaint

If your phone or internet provider has charged you wrongly, won’t fix a fault or NBN problem, or is refusing to let you cancel, start your phone and internet complaint now. Answer a few plain questions, approve the documents, and we will email them for you — $49, both documents, ready to send.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to complain to the provider before I can go to the TIO?

The TIO generally expects you to give the provider a chance to resolve the complaint first. A written complaint to the provider starts that process and shows the TIO you gave them a fair opportunity. The TIO’s website sets out its current requirements.

How long does the provider have to respond to my complaint?

The Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code sets timeframes for a provider to acknowledge a complaint and either resolve it or tell you what it is doing about it. Check the current version of the code for the timeframe that applies to your type of complaint.

What can I claim if my internet was down for an extended period?

You can ask for a refund of the charges for the period you were without service, ask for compensation under the TCP Code if the fault was not fixed within the required timeframe, and ask for any costs you incurred (for example, buying a temporary mobile data plan). If you lost income because you could not work from home, you can ask for that to be considered too, although you would need to be able to show it. Whether a provider or the TIO agrees depends on the facts.

Can I use this service if I am still in a contract with the provider?

Yes. If you believe the provider breached the contract (for example, by not providing the service at the speed or reliability promised, or by billing you incorrectly), you can complain and ask to cancel the contract without paying early termination fees. The complaint letter sets out the breach you allege and what you are asking for.

What if the provider offers me a small credit instead of the full refund I asked for?

You can accept their offer, try to negotiate a higher amount, or escalate to the TIO. The TIO escalation letter tells the provider you are proceeding to the ombudsman, and the TIO can then consider the complaint.