Deferment of Rates
For those ratepayers who have a Pensioner Card, State Concession Card or Seniors Card and Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card registered on their property, the deferment option may apply.
Deferment of the payment of Council rates means that the pensioner does not have to pay their Council rates each year (Deferment only applies to Rates, Water Rates and Emergency Service Levy only, all other charges must be paid in full) . When the balance payable as shown on the Council rates notice is not paid by the 30th June of the financial year, the pensioner rebate will be reversed and the full amount of Council rates will be transferred to a deferred account for those eligibile pensioners. This deferred amount sits in a separate account and does not accrue interest and will remain as a debt against the property. Deferred rates become payable in full when the property sells or the pensioner passes away or ceases to reside in the property as their 'ordinary place of residence'.
The deferred rates balance:
- remains as a debt on the property until paid;
- becomes payable in full upon the passing of the pensioner or if the property is sold or if the pensioner ceases to reside in the property.
- may be paid at any time, BUT you do not receive any concession when they are paid (you forfeit any concession you may have been entitled to within the financial year)
- does not incur penalty interest charges.
Please note that life tenants, pensioners in receipt of a proportionate rebate (where they are not receiving the full 50% rebate) and Senior Card holders are NOT entitled to defer their rates and must pay the balance on their account in full by the 30th June of the financial year to claim their rebate. Should they fail to pay their portion of the Council rates by the 30th June of the financial year the rebate is forfeited and the full amount of Council rates will become arrears on the property. These arrears are payable in full immediately irrespective of whether a rebate is registered on the property and may be subject to debt recovery if they remain unpaid.
Any rebate not claimed by the 30th June of the financial year is forfeited and cannot be claimed at a later date. To claim your rebate you MUST pay your portion of the Council rates by the 30th June of the financial year.