Online services and payments

Online services are provided through a secure website using SSL (secure socket layer) encryption. All such Online Services shall be subject to these Terms and Conditions for Online Services, and the Terms of Use of the Christchurch City Council website.

The Christchurch City Council Online Services is available for your personal and/or internal business purposes; provided that you do not remove any proprietary rights notices, do not modify the information or make it available to third parties through a networked computer environment and do not make any additional representations or warranties regarding the information.

You agree to allow the Christchurch City Council to collect information about you (including information about transactions processed by you) from time to time through this website. Any such information collected will be treated in accordance with the Christchurch City Council Privacy Statement.

Online payment terms for transactions completed online through the Council's website. 

Certain transactions can be done online through the Council's website. All such transactions are subject to these terms and conditions as well as the Council's Website Terms of Use. 

All credit/debit card payments are processed, managed and completed by a secured and trusted third-party vendor, Windcave (formerly Payment Express).

Windcave is compliant with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards) and subject to the Privacy Act 2020, and evidence of compliance is available on their website(external link).

Christchurch City Council only receives transaction data that enables payment to be made to your account.  If your payment is not successfully processed due to credit/debit card or other issues, your payment liability to us will remain outstanding. 

Further information can be found in the Council’s Privacy Statement. (external link)  

The Council may vary these terms and conditions from time to time without notification and it is your responsibility to ensure that you are familiar with them. 

Please read these online payment terms carefully.

1. Use of online transactions

The Council makes online transactions available for your personal and/or internal business purposes. You may use information provided to you through your online transactions solely for your personal and/ or internal business purposes, provided that you do not remove any propriety rights notices, do not modify the information or make it available to third parties through a networked computer environment and do not make any additional representations or warranties regarding the information.

2. Information and privacy

You hereby authorise the Council to receive and collect information about you (including information about your online transactions) from time to time through the Christchurch City Council website. Any such information collected shall be treated in accordance with the Christchurch City Council privacy policy. Christchurch City Council may only disclose information about you (including your identity) to a third party if the Christchurch City Council is requested to do so in the course of a criminal or the legal investigation, or if the Christchurch City Council determines that disclosure is necessary in connection with any complaint regarding your use of the site. For further information on your privacy rights please view the Christchurch City Council's Privacy Statement.

3. Accounts

Certain online transactions offered by the Council may require a login ID and password for verification of your identity to access the online transactions. You agree that all information provided to the Council by you in relation to your account shall be current, complete and accurate. Your use of a Council account is subject to these terms and conditions as well as the Council Website Terms of Use. You agree to comply with all such terms and conditions in respect of your use of online transactions.

4. Password security

If you are required to select a password, the Council recommends the password you select should not relate to any readily accessible data such as your name, birth date, address, telephone number, driver's licence, licence plate or passport.

Nor may it be an obvious combination of letters and numbers, including sequential or same numbers or letters. You are entirely responsible for maintaining the security of your login ID and password, and for all activity which occurs on or through your account, whether authorised or unauthorised, including use by current and former employees if you are a corporate entity. You should change your password immediately if you believe that your login ID and password have been used without authorisation and advise the Council of this. The Council shall not have any liability for your failure to comply with these obligations.

5. Security

Transactions Processing Services are provided through a secure website. However, you acknowledge and agree that internet transmissions are never entirely secure or private, and that any message or information you send to or through the Council website and while using online transactions (including credit card information) may be read or intercepted by others, even where a website is stated as being secure. The Council shall have no liability for the interception or 'hacking' of any data through the Council website or any other website by unauthorised third parties.

6. Your warranties 

In using any Council online transactions you represent and warrant that:

• You are over 18 and have legal capacity to contract in New Zealand.
• You have the appropriate authority to validly accept the Online Payment Terms and are able to and will meet your obligations in relation to these Terms.
• If you are using a credit card to process a transaction, you represent and warrant that the credit card is issued in your name and that you shall pay to the issuer all charges incurred while using online transactions.

7. Accuracy of transaction information

Before completing an online transaction with the Council, you will be presented with a confirmation screen verifying the transaction details you wish to process. It is your responsibility to verify that all transaction, credit card/account information and other details are correct. You should print the transaction confirmation for future reference and your files. The Council shall have no liability for transactions which are incorrect as a result of inaccurate data entry in the course of any online transactions, or for loss of data or information caused by factors outside of the Council’s control. This includes the information supplied as part of the application.

8. Limitation of liability

Except as expressly prohibited by law, in no event will the Council be liable to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, exemplary, incidental or punitive damages, including lost profits, even where the Council has been advised of the possibility of such damages occurring. If, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Council is found to be liable to you for any damage or loss which arises as a result of your use of the website, Christchurch City Council’s liability shall not exceed the dollar amount of the transaction which formed the basis of the damage or $100.00, whichever is the lesser. Some jurisdictions do not permit the exclusion of implied warranties, and if you are in one of those jurisdictions these exclusions may not apply to you.

9. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify the Council for any loss, cost or expense suffered or incurred by the Council as a result of:

• Your breach of obligations under the Online Payment Terms.
• Intentional misuse of the Services.
• Your negligent acts or omissions.
• Any claim brought against the Council by a third party in relation to your use of the Services.

10. Right to suspend, alter or cancel service 

The Council shall be entitled at any time without prior notice or any liability to you, to cancel or suspend any or all online services and/or to substitute alternative services, which may or may not be interactive or transactional in nature.

11. Specific additional service terms and conditions for online transactions

You acknowledge that certain online transactions made available or offered by the Council from time to time may be subject to specific additional terms and conditions, and you agree to review and comply with any such additional terms and conditions. Access and use of any online services shall be deemed to constitute acceptance of any such additional terms and conditions applicable to such service.

12. Jurisdiction 

These terms and conditions and the online services they cover are governed by New Zealand law. The New Zealand Courts have exclusive jurisdiction over any matter in connection with the online services and these terms and conditions.

13. Support hours 

The Council provides customer support for online services between the hours of 8.00am to 5.00pm ( Monday to Friday). All queries outside these hours will be logged and attended to during office hours.

14. Refunds policy 

Refunds, if any, will be at the entire discretion of the Council and will be subject to any specific additional terms and conditions in respect of the Online Transaction. It may be stated in the specific additional terms and conditions that no refund will be available. A request for a Refund must be made in writing. Any refunds made will be for the invoice amount and will not include any transaction service fee charged by BNZ.

15. Christchurch City Council website terms of use

These Online Payment terms form part of the Christchurch City Council Website Terms of use, which apply to general Council website usage. By agreeing to comply with the Online Payment Terms you also agree to comply with the Council Website Terms of Use. If there is a conflict between the Council Website Terms of Use and these Terms, the Online Payment Terms shall prevail.