FREE QLD TEMPLATE
Payment schedule template (QLD, BIF Act)
A free, editable Word payment schedule template for Queensland construction contracts, plus a plain-English walk through what the Building Industry Fairness (Security of Payment) Act 2017 expects a payment schedule to say, when it's due, and why the reasons you give matter later.
Items marked verify refer to legislation, standards or regulator guidance that changes over time. Check the linked official source and your contract before relying on them.
What a payment schedule is
Under the BIF Act, when a business receives a payment claim it can respond with a payment schedule: a written reply that says how much it proposes to pay and, if that's less than the claimed amount, why. The rules are in BIF Act s 69 verify and BIF Act s 76 verify. A payment schedule is not an invoice and not a letter of complaint. It's a statutory document with consequences for both sides.
The template is mainly for businesses that receive claims: head contractors, and subcontractors who engage their own sub-subcontractors or suppliers. It's also useful when you're the claimant. Knowing what a proper schedule looks like helps you spot a weak one quickly. Our short-paid response plan covers what to do when you receive one.
What the schedule must state
Under BIF Act s 69 verify, a payment schedule is a written document that:
- Identifies the payment claim it responds to: claimant, claim number or date, project and contract reference.
- States the amount of the payment, if any, that the respondent proposes to make. A nil amount is allowed, but it must be stated.
- States the reasons if the proposed amount is less than the claimed amount, including the reasons for withholding any payment.
Reasons matter because, if the claim goes to adjudication, the respondent generally can't rely on reasons in its adjudication response that weren't included in the payment schedule verify. A schedule that says only "not agreed" or "under review" gives away most of the respondent's position. Specific, item-by-item reasons tied to contract clauses, measurements or records hold up better.
When a payment schedule is due
Under BIF Act s 76 verify, the respondent must give the payment schedule by the earlier of the period set by the contract and 15 business days after the payment claim is given verify. Business days exclude weekends, public holidays and the period 22 December to 10 January in Queensland verify. Check the current definition in Schedule 2 of the Act and the Queensland public holiday list.
If no schedule is given on time, the respondent becomes liable to pay the full claimed amount on the due date (BIF Act s 77 verify), and the claimant has extra enforcement options, including adjudication or court proceedings for the unpaid amount verify. That's why serious respondents treat the schedule deadline as fixed and diarise it the day a claim arrives.
| Step | Typical timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Payment claim given | Day 0 | Record date and method of service. |
| Payment schedule due | Earlier of contract period or 15 business days verify | Count business days, not calendar days. |
| Payment due date | Per contract, subject to statutory maximums verify | If the contract is silent, 10 business days after the claim is made verify. |
| Adjudication application (short payment) | Strict time limit after receiving the schedule verify | See QBCC adjudication guidance. |
Payment due dates for building contracts are also limited by the Act. Longer contractual periods can be cut back to the statutory maximum verify. See our BIF Act payment claim guide for the full sequence.
How to fill in the template
- Header block. Respondent and claimant names and ABNs, project, contract or subcontract number, and the claim number, date and amount exactly as claimed.
- Assessment table. One row per claim line: item, claimed, scheduled (proposed), difference and reason. Keep the same item numbering as the claim so it's easy to compare.
- Reasons for withholding. For every line where the scheduled amount is lower, give a specific reason: quantity not yet installed (with your measurement), variation not directed in writing (quote the clause), defects (identify them and the inspection record), set-off or back-charges (cite the contract right and the basis). Avoid "TBC" and "under review".
- Retention and previous payments. Show gross scheduled to date, less retention and previous payments, giving the amount proposed for this claim.
- Amount proposed. State it clearly, including GST treatment. If it's nil, say nil and still give reasons.
- Sign-off and service. Name, position and date. Give it by a method the contract and Act allow, and keep proof of when and how it was given.
Worked example (fictional)
A switchboard subcontractor claims $142,600 for October on a pump station job: $96,000 for base contract progress, $28,100 for VAR-01 (an extra LV feeder) and $18,500 for VAR-02 (SCADA re-termination). The head contractor's schedule proposes $113,700:
- Base contract: scheduled $90,000, not $96,000. Reason: cable pulled on site measured at 1,850 m against 2,000 m claimed (site measure 24/10, attached).
- VAR-01: scheduled $23,700. Reason: labour rate agreed at the schedule-of-rates value under clause 36.4; difference of $4,400 rejected.
- VAR-02: nil scheduled. Reason: no written direction received; the claimant is asked to provide the direction reference under clause 36.1.
Each reason is specific and checkable. The subcontractor now knows exactly what to answer: a joint measure for the cable, the rate dispute on VAR-01, and the direction email for VAR-02. That last item is why a variation notice that records the direction matters so much.
Common payment schedule mistakes
- Missing the deadline because the claim sat in an inbox. Log every claim the day it arrives.
- Vague reasons such as "not agreed" or "subject to assessment". They may not survive adjudication verify.
- No amount stated, or only a percentage. State a dollar figure.
- Not identifying the claim, especially when several claims are open on one project.
- Set-off without a contractual basis. Back-charges need a right under the contract and evidence.
- Wrong service method, such as sending to an address the contract doesn't nominate.
If you're the subcontractor receiving a schedule
Read the reasons line by line, then match each to your records: site diaries, directions, measurements, test results and notices. Decide whether to accept, negotiate or apply for adjudication, noting the strict application timeframes verify. Our short-paid response plan walks through the options, and the BIF Act payment claims checklist helps make your next claim harder to cut. Tracking claim, schedule and due dates in one place, like the free variation register does for variations, stops dates slipping through.
The QBCC commercial payment dispute pages explain the regulator's process and link to forms. If significant money is at stake, get advice from a construction lawyer early, before time limits run out.
Frequently asked questions
What is a payment schedule under the BIF Act?
How long does a respondent have to give a payment schedule in QLD?
What happens if no payment schedule is given?
Can a respondent add new reasons later in adjudication?
Is a nil payment schedule valid?
Is this template legal advice?
General information only, not legal, contractual or tendering advice. The template doesn't make a notice or document valid or effective; your contract and current law decide that. Check each item marked verify against the current official source.