Home 👤 Account Management 🏢🔄 Change of Ownership (CHOWN) – sell a business, landlord change, restructure, or split services

🏢🔄 Change of Ownership (CHOWN) – sell a business, landlord change, restructure, or split services

Last updated on Feb 06, 2026

Change of Ownership (CHOWN) – sell a business, landlord change, restructure, or split services

A Change of Ownership (CHOWN) transfers a service (or services) from one Pickle account to another. It’s used when the account owner is changing — for example, selling a business, changing landlords/tenants, restructuring, or splitting services between parties.

Quick decision guide

You need CHOWN if…

  • The service(s) must move to a different Pickle account / customer profile (a different individual, business, company or organisation).

  • Both the current owner and the new owner agree to the transfer.

You don’t need CHOWN if…

  • You’re just changing a name (same owner, different legal name).

  • You’re correcting details (typo, DOB, spelling).

  • You’re changing authorised contacts/directors on the same business account.

  • You’re moving address (relocation), changing plans, or doing a migration/upgrade.

  • You’re transferring to/from another provider (that’s a port-in/port-out, not CHOWN).

Before you start (what you’ll need)

To complete a CHOWN, we need to confirm:

  • Who is the current owner (the account the service is on today)

  • Who is the new owner (the account taking over the service)

  • Whether you are transferring all services or only some (“split services”)

  • Both parties can complete identity and authority checks

  • The incoming owner may need to pass credit checks (where applicable)

Decision tree (common customer scenarios)

1) Are you the current owner of the service?

Yes → go to (2)
No → go to (5)

2) Are both parties available together right now (same call / in-store)?

Yes → go to (3)
No → go to (4)

3) Both parties available now (fastest path)

We’ll:

  1. Verify the current owner’s authority and identity

  2. Verify the incoming owner’s identity (and create an account if they don’t have one)

  3. Confirm which services are moving (all vs split)

  4. Submit the CHOWN request and confirm next steps and timeframes

âś… Best option if you want this done with minimal back-and-forth.

4) Current owner is alone (incoming owner not available)

We can still start the request, but to finish it:

  • The new owner must contact us to complete their checks within 14 days.

You’ll be given a reference to pass to the new owner (this may be a transfer PIN for eligible services, or a case reference depending on the service type).

✅ Good option if you’re coordinating a settlement date.

5) You are the new owner (incoming owner) and the current owner is not with you

In most cases, the current owner must initiate the change.

What you can do:

  • Ask the current owner to contact Pickle to start the CHOWN, then give you the reference so we can finalise the transfer.

“Split services” (common for restructures and landlord/tenant changes)

If you’re keeping some services with the old owner and moving others to the new owner, tell us:

  • Which services stay

  • Which services move

  • Any critical items like phone numbers, internet services, or bundles

Important notes:

  • Some bundled services must move together (for example, certain internet + voice bundles can’t be separated).

  • Some products and add-ons may not be transferable and might need to be cancelled and re-ordered under the new owner.

What can affect eligibility and timing?

Business account rules (important)

  • The request must be made by an authorised representative (and for some business types, we may need to confirm a director/authority first).

  • For some business structures (new trusts, partnerships, unincorporated associations, franchises, sponsored organisations), the entity itself may not be accepted as the “new owner” — an individual may need to be the incoming owner.

Not all products can be transferred

Some items may not be transferable and might need a different approach (usually disconnect + new connection). We’ll confirm this during the request.

Old/legacy services can take longer

Some older service types require specialist processing. We’ll still run the request, but it may involve additional steps and longer handling times.

Special situations (we’ll route you to the right team)

Some CHOWN requests can’t be handled through the standard process and must be transferred to specialist teams, including:

  • Bereavement

  • Domestic & family violence

  • Insolvency / liquidation

If any of these apply, tell us early so we can move you to the right pathway.

Common questions

Will my contract transfer?

Often, the service can transfer, but contract terms and device repayments may be treated differently depending on the service and plan. In some cases, the new owner must take a new contract, or the transfer must be done as disconnect + new connection.

Can I transfer an upfront-style plan to a different type of account?

Sometimes an upfront-style plan can’t be transferred to certain account types, which may require a new service order rather than a direct CHOWN.

What about email/mailboxes?

Some mailbox transfers are handled separately from the core service transfer. If mailbox ownership needs to change, tell us so we can include the correct steps.

How to start

If you’re the current owner, the best way is to contact Pickle with the incoming owner present (call or in-person). If that’s not possible, you can still start it and we’ll provide the reference the incoming owner needs to complete it within 14 days.