Paying your rates

Under Section 181(14) of the Local Government Act 1999, Council must provide the opportunity for all ratepayers to pay rates by quarterly instalments.

2012/2013 financial year payment dates are

Friday 7^th September 2012            1st Instalment
Friday 7^th December 2012              2nd Instalment
Friday 8^th March 2013                    3rd Instalment
Friday 7^th June 2013                      4th Instalment

Rates may be paid at:

any Australia Post Office
by BPay
Online
In person, at our Principal Office,93 Main Street, Kapunda, during the hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday;
in person, at the Branch office, 12 Hanson Street, Freeling, during the hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

Any ratepayer who may, or is likely to, experience difficulty with meeting the standard payment arrangements is invited to contact Council's Rates Assessment Officer, on 8525 3200 to discuss alternative payment arrangements. All enquiries are treated confidentially by the Council.

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Late payment of rates

The Local Government Act 1999 provides that Councils impose an initial penalty of 2% on any payment for rates, whether by instalment or otherwise, that is received late. A payment that continues to be late is then charged an interest rate, set each year according to a formula in the Act, for each month it continues to be late. Council allows a further three working days after the due date for payment as a grace period. Thereafter late payment penalties are applied in accordance with the Local Government Act 1999.

Council issues a final notice for payment of overdue rates during the months of January and July of each year. Should rates remain unpaid more than 21 days after the issue of the final notice then the Council will refer the debt to their debt collection agency for collection. The debt collection agency charges collection fees that are recoverable from the ratepayer. All costs incurred by Council in the recovery of outstanding rates and fines are payable by the ratepayer.

When Council receives a payment in respect of overdue rates, Council applies the money received as follows:

firstly - in payment of any costs awarded to, or recoverable by, the Council in any court proceedings undertaken by the Council for the recovery of the rates;
secondly - in satisfaction for any liability for interest;
thirdly - in payment of any fine;
fourthly - in satisfaction of liabilities for rates in the order in which those liabilities arose in payment of rates, in date order of their imposition (starting with the oldest account first).

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Understanding Council Rates

Download Council Rates Fact Sheet (108 kb) Outlines a range of services which are funded by Council rates. Constraints and challenges in funding for Councils along with some information about how services have expanded in range, quality and standards met in recent years. Explains the rating system, aswell as property valuations.

Financial Hardship

The Salvation Army provides free financial counselling to people in financial difficulty. Telephone 1800 025 539. Click here to view further details.