Rates FAQs
When are my Rates due?
Rates are due on the following dates each Financial Rating Year. The period starts from 1 July to 30 June each year with the option to pay by four quarterly instalments.
1st Instalment - 31 August
2nd Instalment - 30 November
3rd Instalment - 28 February
4th Instalment - 31 May
If you intend to pay rates and charges in full, the payment must be received by 31 AUGUST of the current rating year.
1st Instalment - 31 August
2nd Instalment - 30 November
3rd Instalment - 28 February
4th Instalment - 31 May
If you intend to pay rates and charges in full, the payment must be received by 31 AUGUST of the current rating year.
What if you cannot afford to pay your rates?
You may be eligible for a concession on the grounds of hardship. Council may also be able to assist by agreeing to alternative payment plans or writing off interest on unpaid rates. If you are having difficulty in paying your rates, you should contact your council as soon as possible to discuss the options available.
Why do you have to pay Council rates?
Councils help local communities run smoothly. They administer various laws and regulations to help maintain and improve services include community services, sporting and recreation services, environmental planning, public health, environmental protection and waste collection, treatment and disposal. The rates you pay allow your council to fund these services.
For more detailed information about the services provided by councils, please see the Department of Local Government fact sheet ‘Your Council’.
For more detailed information about the services provided by councils, please see the Department of Local Government fact sheet ‘Your Council’.
Can you be exempt from paying Council Rates?
There are some parcels of land that are exempt from rates and charges. These include parcels of land within a national park and land that belongs to, for example, a religious body or school. Unless you meet the exemption criteria outlined in the Local Government Act, you cannot be exempt from paying rates.
Why have water and sewerage charges changed?
The Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability has issued the best practice pricing guidelines to encourage the effective and efficient delivery of water supply and sewerage services, and to promote sustainable water conservation practices and water demand management throughout NSW. Until these guidelines were produced, councils adopted various methods of charging for water supply and sewerage services. Council are now moving to best practice pricing. As a result, the way in which you are charged for these services may have changed quite significantly.
Water and Sewer Charges are required to be self sustaining under NSW legislation. As such, these fees will increase each year to meet this requirement.
Water and Sewer Charges are required to be self sustaining under NSW legislation. As such, these fees will increase each year to meet this requirement.
Do you have to pay a waste management charge, if you do not use the service?
Yes. The Local Government Act requires councils to levy an annual charge for providing domestic waste management services on all parcels of rateable land for which the service is available, whether or not it is actually used. It is considered that all property owners should contribute to the current and future provision of waste services.
If you don't use the service, do you have to pay the same amount as those who do use it?
Councils can charge properties that do not use the service a difference amount from those that do use it. However it is up to each council to decide whether they want to do this.
How do you apply for a Pensioner Concession?
You need to complete a pensioner concession application form. You can obtain these forms from your council. On return of completed form a copy of the front and back of your concession card is required for verification purposes
As a Pensioner, You are eligible for a concession/rebate on your rates?
Concessions are available for eligible pensioners. To be an eligible pensioner you must receive a pension from either Centrelink or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and you must be the holder of a pensioner concession card issued by the Commonwealth Government. You can only claim a concession on the property if it is the sole or principal place of your residence.
If you are eligible, which concessions are you entitled to?
Half of the total of your ordinary rate and domestic waste management service charge, up to a maximum of $250; or Half of your water rates or charges, up to a maximum of $87.50; or Half of your sewerage rates or charges, up to a maximum of $87.50
Can Councils offer additional concessions for Pensioners?
Yes, although the cost of providing additional concessions must be met entirely by council. It is up to each council to decide whether to grant additional concessions.
Is there any plan to increase the concession amount?
The NSW Government determines the amount of the concessions and, although the level has remained constant for a number of years, the last increase to the concession for ordinary rates from $175 to $250 was significant.
The cost of providing mandatory concessions is met by both state and local government. Any increase in the existing limits would increase the cost of the scheme and may have an adverse impact on the services that councils provide to the community. There are currently no plans to review the concessions.
The cost of providing mandatory concessions is met by both state and local government. Any increase in the existing limits would increase the cost of the scheme and may have an adverse impact on the services that councils provide to the community. There are currently no plans to review the concessions.
How does Council decide which category your property is in?
Each parcel of land must be included in one of four categories for rating purposes – residential, business, farmland or mining. Council decides which category your property should be in based on its characteristics and use. Most people are charged ordinary rates under the residential category.
Can Council change the category of your land?
Yes. However, they must notify you of this change and advise that you can seek a review by the council if you don’t agree with the category. This notice must also explain your appeal rights to the Land and Environment Court.
What can you do if you don't agree with the categorisation of your property?
Categories are important, because rate differ depending on the category of the land. So if your land is, for example, categorised as farmland you may pay a lower rate per dollar of land value than if you land is categorised as business.
If you are not satisfied with the category given to your property, you may apply to council for the category to be reviewed. If you do this, council must notify you of their decision and the reasons for that decision. If you still do not agree with the category given to your property, you may appeal to the Land and Environment Court. You must do this within 30 days of receiving council’s review decision. Contact the court to find out how to lodge an appeal.
If you are not satisfied with the category given to your property, you may apply to council for the category to be reviewed. If you do this, council must notify you of their decision and the reasons for that decision. If you still do not agree with the category given to your property, you may appeal to the Land and Environment Court. You must do this within 30 days of receiving council’s review decision. Contact the court to find out how to lodge an appeal.
What if you don't agree with the land value of your property?
Land values are independently determined by the NSW Valuer General through Land Values NSW, not by Council.
To help residents better understand the process, Land Values NSW has published a range of factsheets, tools and videos explaining:
- how land values are determined
- how valuations may affect rates
- the review and objection process available to property owners
Learn more here:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/land-values-nsw/news
Land is valued by the Valuer General at the Department of Lands under the Valuation of Land Act 1916 (as amended). These valuations are carried out approximately every three (3) years and you should get a valuation notice after it is done. If you don’t agree with the land value, you have 60 days to object. The Department of Lands will give you an objection form free of charge by calling 1800 110 038 or you can download a form at www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au/land_values/request_a_review/how_to_lodge_an_objection
Even if you lodge an objection, you must still pay your rates while your objection is being considered. Whatever the Department of Lands decides about your objection, they must advise you in writing. If you still do not agree with the valuation, you have limited time to appeal to the Land and Environment Court. The response sent by the Valuer General will explain the final date for an appeal.
To help residents better understand the process, Land Values NSW has published a range of factsheets, tools and videos explaining:
- how land values are determined
- how valuations may affect rates
- the review and objection process available to property owners
Learn more here:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/land-values-nsw/news
Land is valued by the Valuer General at the Department of Lands under the Valuation of Land Act 1916 (as amended). These valuations are carried out approximately every three (3) years and you should get a valuation notice after it is done. If you don’t agree with the land value, you have 60 days to object. The Department of Lands will give you an objection form free of charge by calling 1800 110 038 or you can download a form at www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au/land_values/request_a_review/how_to_lodge_an_objection
Even if you lodge an objection, you must still pay your rates while your objection is being considered. Whatever the Department of Lands decides about your objection, they must advise you in writing. If you still do not agree with the valuation, you have limited time to appeal to the Land and Environment Court. The response sent by the Valuer General will explain the final date for an appeal.
What is rate-pegging?
The government sets a limit on the total amount of income that a council can raise from certain rates and charges. This is called the rate-peg percentage and it is specified by the Minister for Local Government each year.
Because of the rate pegging, council’s overall rates revenue cannot increase by more than the percentage increases approved by the Minister. If overall land values rise, councils may have to reduce or otherwise adjust the amounts levied per dollar so that total income does not grow by more than the percentage increase approved by the Minister.
Because of the rate pegging, council’s overall rates revenue cannot increase by more than the percentage increases approved by the Minister. If overall land values rise, councils may have to reduce or otherwise adjust the amounts levied per dollar so that total income does not grow by more than the percentage increase approved by the Minister.
Are all rates & charges limited by rate-pegging?
No. Only certain rates and charges are subject to rate-pegging. Charges for waste management, water, sewerage and stormwater are not subject to ratepegging.
Can your rates increase by more than the rate-peg percentage?
Yes. Rate-pegging applies to a councils overall general income and not to rates on individual properties. Within rate-pegging it is possible for some rates to increase by more than the rate peg limit while other may increase by less than the rate-peg limit. In some cases, rates may decrease from the previous year. A council’s rating structure and valuation changes are the main factors that will determine what happens to rates on an individual property. Rating structures may change significantly from year to year.
Is there any way that councils can increase their income by more than the rate-peg limit?
Councils can apply to the Minister for Local Government to increase their general income by more than the rate-peg limit. This is called a special variation application. The council must include details of its intention to apply for a special variation in its draft management plan and consider any submissions received from the public. If approved, the Minister will specify the percentage by which the council may increase its general income.
Is there any way to control the increases on rates and charges that are not subject to rate-pegging?
Even though certain rates and charges are not subject to rate-pegging, councils are still required to provide details of what they are proposing to charge in their draft management plan and must consider submissions from the public before adopting those rates and charges. Annual charges for domestic waste management services and stormwater must be calculated to reflect the reasonable cost of providing those services to the community.
How does a Council decide how much you have to pay in Rates & Charges?
Each council is required to determine the combination of rates, charges, fees and pricing policies needed to fund the services it provides to the community. This is called a revenue policy. The revenue policy contains a rating structure that determines which rates and charges you will have to pay and how they will be calculated. Charges are generally determined on either an annual basis or according to usage – or they may be a combination of both, for example, water supply charges.
Council can choose how they calculated and distribute rates among categories of rateable properties in the council area. For each category or sub-category, rates can be calculated in one of three ways. They can be based: Entirely on the land value of the property On a combination of the land value of the property and a fixed amount per property Entirely on the land value, but subject to a minimum amount. The land value is determined by the Land and Property Information Division of the Department of Lands (formerly known has the NSW Valuer General’s Office).
Council can choose how they calculated and distribute rates among categories of rateable properties in the council area. For each category or sub-category, rates can be calculated in one of three ways. They can be based: Entirely on the land value of the property On a combination of the land value of the property and a fixed amount per property Entirely on the land value, but subject to a minimum amount. The land value is determined by the Land and Property Information Division of the Department of Lands (formerly known has the NSW Valuer General’s Office).
Can you object to what Council is proposing?
The draft management plan must be put on exhibition to give members of the public an opportunity to comment. This usually happens around April or May each year. Councils must consider any submissions by the public before adopting the plan. This is your opportunity to raise any issues about the rates and charges for the following year. Once the rates and charges have been adopted for a particular year, they cannot be changed until the next year.
Is there any way of knowing what your rates and charges will be before receiving your rate notice?
Every year, before the final amounts are fixed, councils must prepare a draft management plan that includes their proposed revenue policy for the following year. This policy must include details of all rates and charges that the council is proposing to levy on ratepayers. The draft management plan must be made available to the public.
