LOOK NEW PAYMENT DATES 2017/2018 YOUR RATES EXPLAINED

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Malcolm Owens
6 years ago
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1 LOOK NEW PAYMENT DATES 2017/2018 YOUR RATES EXPLAINED

Receive Your Rate Notices Electronically Free yourself from paper and do the environment a favour at the same time, by signing up for one of Council s e-presentment options.

Register with Council Greater Shepparton City Council now has the ability to deliver rate notices via email, replacing your paper copy sent via mail.

2 Receive Your Rate Notices Electronically Free yourself from paper and do the environment a favour at the same time, by signing up for one of Council s e-presentment options. The use of ed bill delivery is quicker and cheaper. Register with Council Greater Shepparton City Council now has the ability to deliver rate notices via , replacing your paper copy sent via mail. Visit the Council website, click on the link to pay your rates, and then select receive notices electronically. Follow the link provided to complete the registration process. Other notices, such as animal registration, will still be sent to your postal address. It is important when registering to enter your full name and customer reference number as it appears on your rate notice. For example John Andrew and Mary Citizen would be shown as J A Citizen and M Citizen. Your customer reference number is located on the top right hand corner of the rate notice. An example is

3 CHANGES TO THE WAY YOU PAY YOUR RATES Please note that there is a change to the way you pay your rates. The previous full payment option by 15 February no longer applies. As part of the Rating Strategy Review, Council was seeking ways to improve its operations and gain efficiencies. By removing the 15 February full payment option, it will allow Council to identify people earlier who are having financial difficulty paying their account. This will in turn save Ratepayers on interest and debt recovery costs. It will also reduce the overdue rate payments and interest income derived from rates whilst balancing payments received across the year. Council will allow Rates and Charges to be paid in one of two ways: 1. By Four Instalments Quarterly instalments will be due and payable by the following dates: 30 September, 30 November, 28 February and 31 May of each year. Reminder notices will be sent prior to each instalment due date, reducing the potential for overlooking the payment. Any instalment payment received after the due date will be charged penalty interest at the rate of 10% per annum (as set by the State Government) from the due date until the overdue instalment is paid in full. 2. By 10 Monthly Direct Debit Instalments Payments will be deducted from your account on the last Friday of each month, commencing September and ending in June of each rating period. To apply to pay by ten monthly instalments, you must complete and return a Direct Debit Request Form at least two business days prior to the September direct debit payment. Note: Council will still accept payments in one lump sum however payments received after the first instalment date will incur penalty interest.

4 Payment Difficulties and Financial Hardship Ratepayers who are experiencing difficulty paying their rates should contact Council immediately to discuss their options. All enquiries are treated confidentially, and early communication may help prevent the commencement of costly legal action for the recovery of outstanding rates. For more information please refer to Council s Hardship Policy. Rate Capping The Victorian Government has established the Fair Go Rates System (FGRS), which limits the maximum amount Council can increase their total rate income by each year. The rate cap for 2017/2018 has been set at 2%. The cap only applies to Council s total income received from the General Rates and the Municipal Charge. Waste charges and the Fire Services Property Levy are not capped. The rates and charges for your property may have increased or decreased by a different percentage amount for the following reasons: I. The valuation of your property; II. The application of any differential rate by Council; III. The inclusion of other rates and charges not covered by the Victorian Government s rate cap How are my Rates Calculated? The formula for calculating your general rate, excluding any additional charges or arrears is: Residential property example based on $230,000 CIV $ General Rate: $230,000 x , (CIV x Rate In Dollar) Municipal Charge: Kerbside Waste (80 Litre) & Recycling Green Organics Total Rates and Charges $1, How is my Fire Services Property Levy Calculated? The formula for calculating your Fire Services Property Levy is: Residential property example based on $230,000 CIV $ Fixed Charge: Variable Charge: $230,000 x (CIV x Variable Rate) Total Fire Services Property Levy $135.05

5 Am I contributing to Shepparton Show Me? If the rating classification of your property is shown as Commercial Improved 1 or Industrial Improved 1 and your property is within the Shepparton urban boundary, you contribute to Shepparton Show Me through a component of your general rate. Council allocates funding from this general rate to an annual budget for Shepparton Show Me. Am I entitled to a Pensioner Concession? A pensioner concession for eligible card holders will provide a 50 per cent discount off Council rates (capped at $223.80) on your principal place of residence. This amount is set by the State Government. Eligible card holders will also receive a $50 concession off the Fire Services Property Levy for their principal place of residence. If you received a pensioner concession last year, and are still eligible, the current concession will be shown on your rate notice. Where a concession is not shown, eligible cardholders (Pensioner Concession Card or Gold TPI or War Widow Card) must apply by 30 June 2018 on the relevant form (available for download from Council s website or by contacting our Customer Service team). The pensioner concession does not apply to Health Care Card holders. What if I change my address or property ownership? The Local Government Act 1989 requires property owners and ratepayers to advise of any changes in ownership or mailing address. Incorrect addresses and ownership records may cause unnecessary delays in the delivery of your rate notices. This may result in interest and costly legal fees on your rates account. It is essential that you: Notify the Council, in writing if you change your residential or mailing address Ensure your solicitor or conveyancer notifies Council of ownership changes A Change of Name/Address Form is available for download from Council s website, or by contacting our Customer Service team. This form must be signed by the property owner, and the owner s residential address is required for voting purposes.

6 CONTACT US Greater Shepparton City Council In Person: 90 Welsford St, Shepparton VIC 3630 Mail: Locked Bag 1000, Shepparton VIC 3632 Phone: (03) National Relay Services: Fax: (03) Website: Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8:15am to 5:00pm Interpreter Services Available

You will also notice that GST and stamp duty are added to the current fire services levy, creating a tax on a tax on a tax.

You will also notice that GST and stamp duty are added to the current fire services levy, creating a tax on a tax on a tax. Frequently Asked Questions The Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) If you look at your current home and contents insurance notice, you may see a charge for a fire services levy. Under the current system,