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The Tenants' Union has received reports that tenants are having money deducted from their bank accounts up to 12 years after they've stopped renting at a property. The debits show up as 'REA Transactions' and are usually $8.91 or $9.60 per quarter.  They seem to target tenants who paid rent through a company that is separate to their estate agency, such as RE Connect or other rent card company.

Contact your bank to cancel the debits. Contact your real estate agent to find out what company you paid rent through, what the companies' contact details are, and what reference number you had, if any.  Contact the company to stop the charges and ask for a refund of the fees you paid - some tenants have had fees refunded. Contact your local Tenants' service if you need further assistance (view Other Sites if you are not in the ACT). If you rent in Canberra and want more information, go to Rental Advice and read our  FAQ 'My agent says I must pay rent through a third party'. 

If you paid rent with a RE Connect oneCard, contact them by phone: 1300 302 060, fax: (02) 9211 0508 or email: enquiries@reconnect.com.au to cancel your account, stop the fees, and ask for fees you've paid to be reimbursed.

If you paid rent via DEFT and you know your DEFT reference number, enter it at www.deft.com.au to cancel any ongoing payments that cause dishonour fees.  If you don't know your DEFT reference number, contact your real estate agent.  Your real estate agent records your DEFT reference number and must provide it to you.

Please assist us to investigate these charges by filling out the survey below.

When you sign your lease, if you are given no choice but to pay rent through another company, this is called third line forcing, which is against the law, and you can complain to the ACCC.  If you are trying to negotiate a different payment method, you can explain to your real estate agent that we have received several complaints about these charges and that it illustrates yet another risk that tenants face when they pay rent through a third party.

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Last Name *

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Do the debits show up as REA Transactions?

If not, what are they called on your bank statement?

Have you ever paid rent using a rent card such as a RE Connect oneCard Rental Rewards or LJ Hooker Priority Card?

If yes, what was the card called?

What was the name of the real estate agency?

What state were you renting in?

How long is it since you stopped renting at that property?

Have any of these deductions been refunded to you?

Please provide any other relevant information here:

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Authorisation * I authorise the Tenants' Union ACT to use and share this information -apart from my name and contact details- for the purposes of investigating these deductions. I authorise the Tenants' Union to contact me if further information is required.

Additional Authorisation I also authorise the Tenants' Union to provide relevant organisations who investigate complaints with my name and contact details so that they can contact me directly.

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