Business Renewal Payments: A Simple Check for Physio Clinic Owners

Accountants Daily reported this week that an accounting firm had reported a business renewal provider to the ACCC over alleged deceptive conduct and unauthorised direct debit drawings.

That is not just a story for accountants.

It is a useful reminder for physio clinic owners. Small admin payments can slip through when the clinic is busy.

Why this matters in a clinic

A physio clinic may have many small payments.

These can include:

• ASIC fees
• business name renewals
• domain names
• software subscriptions
• booking systems
• insurance payments
• cleaning services
• marketing tools
• equipment finance

Most are normal. Some are not checked often enough.

If a payment is wrong, duplicated, or not approved, it can keep coming out of the bank account for months.

Check direct debits once a month

Set a simple monthly habit.

Open the clinic bank account and look at every direct debit.

For each payment, ask:

• who is this paid to?
• what is it for?
• did we approve it?
• is the amount right?
• do we still need it?
• is it recorded in the right account code?

If no one can answer, do not ignore it. Follow it up.

Be careful with renewal notices

Some renewal notices can look official.

Before paying, check who sent the notice. Check whether the payment is for a real service your clinic needs. If it relates to ASIC or a business name, compare it with the official record.

Do not let a busy reception desk or practice manager approve every notice just because it looks urgent.

A good rule is simple. If the payment is new, odd, or unexpected, get a second person to check it.

Keep proof of approval

You do not need a complex system.

For small clinics, a simple note can work.

Record:

• the supplier name
• the amount
• who approved it
• what it is for
• the renewal date
• where the invoice or notice is saved

This helps your bookkeeper. It also helps if you need to dispute a payment later.

Cancel what the clinic no longer uses

Old subscriptions are common.

A clinic may change booking software, stop using a marketing tool, or move to a new phone system. The old payment can still sit in the bank feed.

A monthly check can find these leaks.

One small payment may not matter. Ten small payments can add up.

What to do this week

Pick one bank account. Review the last 30 days of direct debits and renewal payments.

Mark each one as approved, needs checking, or cancel.

This is a short job. But it protects your clinic cash and keeps your records cleaner.

Source: Accountants Daily, “Accounting firm reports business renewal provider for deceptive conduct”.