Rates Penalty Reversal, Remission or Postponement

Rates Penalty Reversal

Under certain circumstances, you can apply to have a late payment penalty on rates reversed.

These circumstances include situations where:

• Your late payment was due to significant family disruption, ie; illness, bereavement or accident
• You can provide evidence your payment has gone astray in the post, or that the late payment has otherwise resulted from matters outside your control
• Penalties have arisen through processing errors in Council's records or an outstanding balance has arisen as a result of a shortfall caused by the operation of an agreed payment plan
• You can provide a reasonable explanation of the circumstances that caused the late payment, and this is the first occasion that you have been late with your rates.

Note: All payments must be received by Council on or before the last day for payment, irrespective of date posted and varying New Zealand Post delivery timeframes.

Go to Application to have Rates Penalty Remitted

Water Rates Remission

If you pay water rates based on volume used and have had a significant water leak on your property, and the leak has been repaired as soon as possible after the detection, you may be able to apply for a partial water rate remission for the volume of water lost.

Go to Water Losses Remission Form

Rates Remission Policy

In some situations rates remissions may be granted, including for:

• Community, sporting and other organisations
• Land protected for natural, historic or cultural conservation purposes
• Residential land in commercial or industrial areas
• Land affected by natural disaster
• General-type uniform annual charges and targeted charges on non-contiguous (non-adjoining) pastoral rating units (more than one rateable land unit farmed as a single entity) provided it meets certain criteria
• General-type uniform annual charges and targeted charges on contiguous (adjoining) rating units in separate ownership, used jointly as a single entity
• Limitation of general-type uniform annual charges and targeted charges in certain circumstances where there is more than one dwelling on a property, provided it meets certain criteria
• Urban Residential 2 Greenfields Land in Rural Areas
• Subdivisions creating four or more rating units meeting conditions and criteria
• Subdivisions creating 10 or more rating units meeting conditions and criteria
• Extreme financial hardship, provided it meets certain conditions and criteria.

Go to Forms on Rates Remission and Postponement Policies

Rates Postponement Policy

See the Rates Remission and Postponement Policies for information on situations where you may be able to postpone payment of your rates including:

• Extreme financial hardship, provided it meets certain conditions and criteria
• If you are a residential ratepayer aged 65 and over.