Rates remission

Remission of rates involves reducing the amount owing or waiving collection of rates altogether.

There are several reasons why ratepayers and organisations are granted rate remissions, including:

• cultural purposes
• sporting organisations
• religious organisations.

You need to apply for rates remission in writing stating why you should receive a remission on your rates (General Rate and UAGC). Service charges still apply. Requests for remission should be referred to the Rates Administrator. If the request for remission is approved, this will take effect from the next rating year.

Council remission policies:

For more information on these policies please refer to the Long Term Plan.

• Remission of penalties to enable Council to act fairly and reasonably in it's consideration of rates which have not been received by the due date.
• Maaori freehold land – remission and postponement policy To provide for the fair and equitable collection of rates from all sectors of the community, while recognising that certain Maaori-owned land has particular conditions, features, ownership structures or other circumstances which may make it appropriate to provide relief from rates.
• Remission & postponement policy - financial hardship To enable Council to provide reasonable assistance to ratepayers whose financial circumstances affect their ability to pay their rates.
• Rating of community, sporting and other organisations policy. A full remission of the General Rate and Uniform Annual General Charge may be applied to land which is owned or used by community, sporting and other organisations that use a rating unit for the purposes of providing community facilities accessible to the general public. Such organisations include all sports clubs (except horse and greyhound racing clubs), arts clubs, scouts and youth clubs, St John/Red Cross, community and church halls, whether they are charitable organisations or not, and the Hamilton Zoo.
• Land protected for historic or cultural conservation purposes policy. A full remission of all rates may be applied to land used to preserve historic or cultural features.
• Land protected for natural conservation purposes policy. A full remission of all rates may be applied to land used to preserve it's natural features.
• Remission of uniform annual general charge on rating units with exceptional circumstances To allow Council to act fairly and reasonably where:
  1. Multiple owned Maaori rating units are being leased by adjoining owners and are being used as part of their land but do not qualify for contiguous classification in terms of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002; or
  2. Council has granted licences to occupy paper roads to adjoining property owners who are using Council owned land as part of their properties but do not qualify for contiguous classification in terms of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002.
• Remission of rates on rating units with a capital value of $1,000 or less To allow Council to act fairly and reasonably where rating units have capital valuations of $1,000 or less.
• Subdivision development policy To facilitate subdivision development in the Waikato district.
• Transitional rates remission policy The objective of this short-term policy is to mitigate the impact of higher than normal rate increases arising as a result of the amalgamation of two councils, integration of two different rating systems and the alignment of two different property valuation dates.

If you would like to know more about your rates please contact the Rates Team on 07 824 8633.

Rates remission and postponement policies