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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Christopher Knaus and Lorena Allam

Landlords charging Centrepay transaction fees to vulnerable tenants against scheme policy

Centrepay Composite featuring Centrepay logo atop generic image of white goods and a standard lease agreement.
Centrepay allows businesses early access to Centrelink payments before the money reaches a welfare recipient’s bank account. Composite: Universal Image Group / Getty / Centerpay

Landlords are wrongly making vulnerable tenants cover the costs of administering the government-run Centrepay debit system, in one case passing it on to a blind disability pensioner.

A Guardian Australia investigation has revealed multiple failings with Centrepay, a system allowing businesses early access to welfare payments, prior to money hitting a welfare recipient’s bank account.

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