How much do you pay in Council Rates bill p.a.?

Melb69 on 16/08/2020 - 10:53
Last edited 05/09/2020 - 22:14

Was just looking at the other post about power usage. What is everyone paying in Council Rates at the moment. I live in affluent Metro area in Vic. 575m2 lot with reasonable single level brick veneer house 4 plus study (28SQ Inc garage). $1973.85 PA. Gone up about $50 from last year.

For me all I get is the bins collected. Hard Rubbish 2x and fire works at end of the year which I don't think I will even get that this year. Ok so many services etc I don't get to use regularly. Sure paths and part and my parking inspector has to be paid.

Also they always give out a pathetic incentive discount to pay 6months earlier. $9. I never pay it early, Or as an OZB should I be doing that.

Thanks for looking. Great posts guys. Really interesting to see what others are paying.
Thanks to @barga in for Vic Council info

www.knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au

Poll Options

  • 169
    1000-1500
  • 240
    1501-2000
  • 117
    2001-2500
  • 62
    2501-3000
  • 20
    3001-3500
  • 13
    3501-4000
  • 33
    4000+
Home & Garden

Comments

      • Muzeeb on 16/08/2020 - 19:07

        3

        • jv on 19/08/2020 - 12:48
          +1

          3

          Are any a BigPond?

      • ssquid on 16/08/2020 - 21:04
        +3

        They're called billabongs mate

        • jv on 19/08/2020 - 12:49

          only if there are jumbucks around…

    • bobbified on 16/08/2020 - 18:26
      +1

      200,000m2

      …and what is the name of the little country you have there, sir? lol!

      • Muzeeb on 16/08/2020 - 19:09

        I'm just small fry. 2000 acres is the typical size a bit further out of town.

        • bobbified on 16/08/2020 - 19:10

          My home is 0.03% of yours, so I can only imagine!

          • Muzeeb on 16/08/2020 - 19:11
            +2

            @bobbified: My shed is the same size as my block when I lived metro. 400m2.

    • drfuzzy on 17/08/2020 - 15:17

      I pay 1000x the rate you pay.
      Roughly the same annually for 200sqm inner city Vic.

      • Mr Haj on 18/08/2020 - 10:21

        you're not comparing apples with apples… costs money to provide people with footpaths, drainage infrastructure, sealed roads etc… although i do feel as though council's in regional areas seem to be able to stretch their budgets further. surely rates should be cheap in melbourne with the high population density.

  • brad1-8tsi on 16/08/2020 - 22:52
    +1

    Where is the <$1000 option?

    $971.35. No change from last year
    City of Sydney
    40sqm x 3 stories + 2 cars spaces + 16sqm storage

    • JimB on 17/08/2020 - 01:32

      Yes, but what is your body corporate like?

      • brad1-8tsi on 17/08/2020 - 09:03

        I'm not sure of the relevance. The question is "what are your rates"

        • JimB on 17/08/2020 - 10:51

          Because you may get cheaper rates as the council may not supply your bins.

          • brad1-8tsi on 17/08/2020 - 11:02
            +1

            @JimB: It's all on council. I'm the Treasurer of the Strata / Body Corp and know where the money goes (and we get ripped for quite a few items).

            Residential Rate $586.85
            Stormwater $12.50
            Domestic Waste $372

    • capslock janitor on 29/08/2020 - 22:05
      -1

      'bout tree fiddy.

  • Myone888 on 17/08/2020 - 08:01
    +1

    The Manningham council should take care and pay for grass cutting for the nature strip. I had to buy whipper snipper worth more than $150 and other equipment. We pay almost $2000/yr. they should give discount for Covid19 year and they shud take pay cut like rest of Australia.

    • Blackadda on 19/08/2020 - 09:39

      yes they should cut everyones nature strip and do oit for less rates :/

  • Brendoo on 17/08/2020 - 08:58

    Eastern Suburbs of Sydney (Woollahra Council), terrace house: $1700 per year.
    No discounts.

    • chriskq on 17/08/2020 - 23:36

      310 sqm house also Woollahra council @ $2184 per year.

  • Kabal on 17/08/2020 - 09:07

    Mine is just under $1000 in Monash council Vic

    I had no idea others could be so expensive lol

  • abcdefghi on 17/08/2020 - 09:31

    Brisbane City Council (BCC) here

    I pay $350 per quarter ($1400 PA), with a $15 discount per quarter ($60 PA) for paying by due date.

    I'm in an apartment, and the complex doesn't have enough room for a bin of each colour per apartment. ie,18 apartments, with 18 garbage bins, but 6 recycle bins, no green waste bin (noting a green waste bin would be an extra charge on rates bill).

    They offered $250 rebate for those who could show COVID-19 hardship: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/about-council/council-inform…

    NB, I do not work for BCC.

    I use the council library HEAPS, especially the (free) subscription to KANOPY (streaming service). Don't forget your rates help fund these services in your council area.

  • Euphemistic on 17/08/2020 - 09:42
    +1

    For me all I get is the bins collected. Hard Rubbish 2x and fire works at end of the year which I don't think I will even get that this year. Ok so many services etc I don't get to use regularly. Sure paths and part and my parking inspector has to be paid.

    Council pays for a lot more than that. Road maintenance, except for a few main roads in the area. Vegetation maintenance, parks, footpaths, stormwater/drain management, rangers for parking and animal control the list is massive. Some councils are also responsible for managing health safety in public areas and food outlets.

    There are plenty of services you ‘don’t use’ but seem to not actually appreciate that make a difference to the area you live in.

  • backpaqer on 17/08/2020 - 11:33

    I did the math. If you have a mortgage (or any form of debt) your money is best off offsetting that interest rate instead of going to the council earlier than it needs to.

    If you have trouble budgeting, I recommend the installment option as $2k is a heck of a wallop unless you have plenty of redraw on your mortgage.

    Otherwise, down to the last cent, paying mid-feb in a lump sum is most cost effective.

    • Melb69 on 17/08/2020 - 16:33

      Totally agree. Hence why to save $9 even if just sitting there on a low interest bank account is better. At least you still have access to it if the shit hits thr fan. Although you should budget for rates.

    • Jamesrulez1 on 17/08/2020 - 21:48

      0% interest on staggered payments with my local council. Every time there's a debt with no interest always pay back as late as you can.

  • Tnetennba on 17/08/2020 - 13:15

    $2080/year

    Canberra, 3br townhouse, 31000 sqm block, $15.3m UV (block), 100 properties approx 1/100 each

    Complete rip to be honest. They have gone up several hundred $ in the past few years as the ACT gov has no real other means for revenue generation…

  • Jugganautx on 17/08/2020 - 13:58
    +3

    3 bedroom house on 780sqm block in Adelaide $1250 p.a.

  • tessel on 17/08/2020 - 14:22

    About $900 per year. Tassie house on 900m2 or so.

  • drfuzzy on 17/08/2020 - 14:32

    $3000/year. 200sqm block.
    Inner city. <6m frontage.

    Regional people seem to complain they are overpaying but they have huge blocks of land which translates into huge costs for roads and services. I have tiny strip of road outside my home. At least 100 people live in my tiny dead end street (in small homes and flats) which would only be big enough for 6 single family homes if it was in a regional area.

    • boozler on 17/08/2020 - 17:07

      That seems about right, yours truly is in Yarraville VIC paying over 3k per year on a 460sqm block.

    • MorriJ on 20/08/2020 - 11:04

      $1500/year. 23500 sqm block, 3br house, valued circa $1m
      Semi rural, 60m street frontage.

      I'm not sure what fully regional people are paying (i'm hornsby council, semi-rural area), but its generally less than the equivalent in the cbd from the figures I've been seeing.

      Services: Weekly Bin Collection, 2 x hard collections per year, Rural Fire Service and Town Electricity.

      No town water or sewerage in this.

  • evocable on 17/08/2020 - 15:41

    $2300/year. Suburb about 15km from Perth city. 880sqm block

  • esonic64 on 17/08/2020 - 15:45

    $1,600 PA in the Playford Council in SA for a house worth approx 250k.

  • Aerith-Waifu on 17/08/2020 - 15:45

    $2150 ——> 590sqm block City of Gosnells
    $1550 ——> 2 bedroom apartment City of Victoira Park

    Both in WA

  • LinkJah on 17/08/2020 - 17:30

    $3140 PA, 920sqm block, Lismore NSW. Always thought I was getting a rough deal, now looking at your comments I am getting bent over!
    My rates were only $1300PA when I lived in Penrith on a 700sqm block 5yrs ago.

    • Melb69 on 17/08/2020 - 17:36

      Is that rural or suburbia? Is it an affluent area? Yeah just interesting to see what the rates are ppl are paying. Still some paying more than you.

      • LinkJah on 17/08/2020 - 19:04

        Classified as rural/semi-rural. Not an affluent area. Yes, definitely interesting seeing the rates people are paying, as I have often wondered myself!

      • javab0y on 17/08/2020 - 19:07

        $4500 last time I checked mine. 950 m2 block. Canberra.
        Hope you feel better.
        Canberra is notorious for high rates…

        • LinkJah on 18/08/2020 - 13:37

          Ouch! Yes it does :) What part of Canberra?

  • ribze1 on 17/08/2020 - 21:36

    Literally got my rates today.

    $1285 for a 2 bedroom unit, Strathfield LGA (NSW).

  • TOKEN8 on 17/08/2020 - 21:40
    +1

    $3k pa, 600 sq/m block Adelaide Hills. No hard rubbish.

  • speedracer on 17/08/2020 - 21:45
    +2

    Apart from a few comments here that explain the fundamental of rates. The ignorance about councils and what they actually do is outstanding. You can live with your head in the sand and claim they just pick up my bins or you you can actually get to know your local council and engage with it and get the benefits from the services they offer and the community assets they own. There is so much public information about the budgets of each council there is no excuse for this ignorance but sheer laziness. As for rates themselves, NSW's fit for the future program that forced councils to get their budgets in order to manage assets maintance costs well into the future showed that rates were too cheap at most councils hence the rates raises experienced over the last two years.

    • Melb69 on 18/08/2020 - 03:16
      +2

      We should look at it like true Ozber's and list the freebies we should be taking advantage of. Ill kick some more off. Should I start a new thread?
      Bayside Vic
      -Library services(many from there) - Book and video hire. Some other Council's offer online book, mag, and paper access.
      -Talks on sustainability to save money.
      -lessons on how to use an ipad.
      -I think you can get a free tree for the naturestrip.
      -Random give aways. I picked up a free Bayside Keepcup.

  • Jamesrulez1 on 17/08/2020 - 21:46

    All of my properties below on the same street

    $2.4K 3 Bed house with a granny flat at the back with 3 Bed
    $1.9K 5 Bed house
    $1.3K 3 Bed apartment

    • ihbh on 18/08/2020 - 08:34

      What about land size?

    • serpserpserp on 19/08/2020 - 07:48

      granny flat at the back with 3 Bed

      I didn't think a granny flat could have three bedrooms.

  • gstfree on 17/08/2020 - 22:47

    Cardinia - South East of Melbourne Metropolitan. 500k house rate very close to 2k.

  • denz02 on 17/08/2020 - 22:52

    $3,250 on a 330 sqm block in Perth

    • Aerith-Waifu on 17/08/2020 - 23:44

      Which suburb is this? Stirling?

  • Kerm70 on 17/08/2020 - 22:56

    I have about 2800 ha of grazing land in northern NSW and pay about $26,000 annually in rates. No change during good or bad times just a steady increase. I realise that this is regarded as a business, but I have often wondered what the Council rates on commercial property in town are. For the above rates I get access to the local tip and maintained local roads and town infrastructure. My homestead is also on the property but it is not singled out for rating purposes.

    • MorriJ on 18/08/2020 - 00:12

      If you head to the centre of the sydney CBD and looking at a large building (680 George Street as an example) - rateable value in the $100m range; roughly $750k per year.

      GST isnt payable on rates of course.

      Each council is able to set their own rates of course.

      I'm in north west of Sydney on 2.3ha and paying $1500/year.

      • Kerm70 on 18/08/2020 - 08:02

        Thanks MorriJ, interesting looks like CBD pays about 6 -7 times what I pay. If I sold the farm tomorrow the developed value would be about 20 million.
        A few corporations like Gina Rineheart’s and Stone Axe Have been buying land in my area in recent years. Pushing land values significantly = lots of increase in the Valuer General valuations. Local council does a good job of maintaining the shire so it’s reasonable value for money.

  • DeeTrance on 17/08/2020 - 23:10

    Just over $5k in Maribyrnong VIC. It's ridiculous, this isn't even an expensive Suburb like Williamstown or South Yarra.

    • Melb69 on 18/08/2020 - 02:31

      New estate?

      • DeeTrance on 19/08/2020 - 16:36

        Old, been there since 2000

        • Melb69 on 19/08/2020 - 16:41

          Dam.

    • Abang Tukang Bakso on 18/08/2020 - 11:30

      How big is the land? 5k thats nuts daylight robbery

      • DeeTrance on 19/08/2020 - 16:37

        About 700m2
        It outrageous, the residents are up in arms. We have pensioners living in the area and I don't know how they can afford it. It's just an average Suburb, nothing posh or upmarket about it.

    • megaclix on 19/08/2020 - 07:31

      Does that include water & sewerage? My rates are $1580 / year for 800sqm block on the Gold Coast. Water is an extra $2200 / year, but that includes our usage. Then I have body corp $3800 / year.

      People keep telling me that our rates are cheaper because of body corp. I don't think they are.

      • DeeTrance on 19/08/2020 - 16:37

        So this is how they calculate the rates according to the website.

        The formula for calculating rates is:

        Property value x rate in the dollar + waste management service charge + municipal charge + fire services property levy - any applicable pensioner rebate

        e.g
        $750,000 x $0.00276226 + $179.75 + $20+ $153.50 ( fire services property levy). = $2,424.95 total rates payable

        The council informed that part of the rates is used to fund public housing in the nearby estate (a different postcode)….like what???

        • MorriJ on 20/08/2020 - 11:15

          It's a perverse view to take, but yes - your rates technically are funding public housing.

          Community housing build costs almostly exclusively comes from the state and federal coffers, however the public housing estates pay no rates if they provide a community benefit, so the locals are subsidising their existence, but not a lot.

          So technically, you are helping to foot their free rates, however the cost to build the said housing is going to have been state or federal coffers, not your rates.

    • [Deactivated] on 20/08/2020 - 10:06

      People were saying before high prices correlate to population density yet you have a much higher population density than my area and I pay just shy of $1600. So why is yours so expensive?

    • jacknthebeanstalk on 20/08/2020 - 10:18

      yeah, 550SQ in Maribyrnong - paying about $4K as well.

  • woody007 on 18/08/2020 - 07:18

    Mate of mine lives in Townsville, Douglas 4814. Cost him $4600 pa thats on a 724sqm block in suburbia. Thats water, bins.

  • Abang Tukang Bakso on 18/08/2020 - 11:29

    1.5 p/a 500sqm 3 bedroom house. Western melbourne region

  • kaleidoscope on 18/08/2020 - 11:59

    $16xx/pa

    4 bedroom with 420sqm land. Melbourne metro.

  • gviddy on 18/08/2020 - 12:15

    Way too much. I pay about $1000 per quarter for a rental property in Brisbane. And the same for another on the Gold Coast. It hurts.

  • bizarredeal on 18/08/2020 - 19:47
    +1

    If ever there was a royal commission into councils and the way they operate and charge people, I am sure we are in for a shock.

  • Freaksta on 18/08/2020 - 20:56

    275m2 in Murrumbeena (~19km from Melb CBD):
    Total ~2100
    General ~1700
    Fire Service ~175
    Garbage ~ 220

    Probably have one of the smallest standalone blocks in the suburb with 19m of frontage.

    Sure its a fair chunk of change, but I feel like we get pretty good value in our area, I have 4 parks all within 800 meters of my house.
    1 Park has an athletics track, Netball courts and massive sports field on it.
    2nd Park is massive park with playground, cricket field, cycling veledrome, bowls field, cricket nets, golf nets, basketball hoops and walking tracks.
    3rd park is cricket field with playground.
    4th park is just a long strip of grass with some benches and trees.
    All of them have BBQ facilities and are really well kept.

    Streets are swept ~monthly, garbage collected weekly, recycling and green waste alternate weekly. Roads are in good condition.

    Those are probably the only services I actively use, haven't been to the library or council pool before and I'm sure I'm missing some other bits and bobs.

    Not sure how much it will go up by this year, I haven't received our rates notice for this year.

  • Scorn on 18/08/2020 - 21:31

    Located in regional NSW, and recently moved about 30 km's (same council), and have the same rates as previous property, except: Land size doubled, street is curb and guttered and has a street sweeper drive past once a month, access to a newish park nearby and we have underground power in a newer area… I am not sure the council calculate costs very well and just charge a flat amount. Im not complaining

  • serpserpserp on 19/08/2020 - 07:59

    Working class suburb of Melbourne and pay about $2,200 a year. Interestingly last year they said that house values went down in my council area so they would mostly revise prices accordingly. Although they still put mine up. 2 streets from me a person I know they kept rates the same.

    • Melb69 on 19/08/2020 - 08:59

      Interesring. Is it worth a review. House and land similar in size and in same Council. For a phone call and an assessment you could get a saving if the difference is a lot.

  • acersaurus on 19/08/2020 - 11:11

    Geelong, 640sqm block, $1600.

    For those who say they don't use Council services, note that about 1/2 of Councils revenue is typically spent maintaining and building roads which are very expensive.

    Having said that Local Government also gets about 40% of its budget from grants, so some tax you are paying to State and Federal Governments also actually goes to Local Government meaning they are much more expensive to operate than it seems.

  • bejahi on 19/08/2020 - 14:32

    I never realised how much I was getting shafted on rates. $5200 for a 900m block in Canberra.

    Damn. I want to go back to my blissful ignorance 😬

    • Melb69 on 19/08/2020 - 15:38

      Sorry for the thread. :) Ouch. It's not like you can change it without moving. It's a big hit in these times. Is it worth getting it reviewed with Council. Is it just a house onit or part of apartments or townhouses.

      • bejahi on 19/08/2020 - 16:47

        Just a house. If the rates are consistent with properties around me I suspect review will go nowhere… But I will look into it! 😊

    • GuitarNeo on 20/08/2020 - 00:48

      ouch indeed!

      What is the house valued at? Just trying to understand if its Canberra or just an expensive house for the area.

      • bejahi on 20/08/2020 - 10:19

        I think the ucv is around $900k

        • GuitarNeo on 20/08/2020 - 11:33

          is that the norm for ACT or just because the block of land in on the bigger size?

          Cost of living close to Scomo and his cronies I guess :-)

    • duluxe2000 on 20/08/2020 - 10:46

      ACT rates are higher because they need revenues to compensate for slashing stamp duties.

      • GuitarNeo on 20/08/2020 - 11:36

        Thats a good scam- stamp duty is only once in a long while (for most people its once or twice in lifetime) whereas property rates are guaranteed yearly income.

      • nightqueen on 25/08/2020 - 21:40

        Yeah at least Canberra residents have the option to live in Monaro/Queanbeyan council to avoid those high rates and land taxes

  • Unacceptable on 19/08/2020 - 14:37

    In Sydney the rates seem calculated based on the land value eg) $1,800 for land value $600k.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/08/2020 - 16:56

    Financial and rates for councils in Victoria can be checked and compared at knowyourcouncil.vic.gov.au

    for example - Monash Council is cheaper than Kingston Council in charging rates. Why? No idea!

    Fortunately these days councils in Victoria can increase there annual rates by CPI only, otherwise it was a rip off.

  • Akya on 22/08/2020 - 20:00

    $3900 pa (or $3600 pa with early payment discount) for 800sqm block and a 4 bedroom house in Mackay QLD. Rates are also based on land value, and the recent valuation was $200k.

  • Myone888 on 30/08/2020 - 12:27

    Ow with the pandemic and house prices dropping councils should do right thing and reduce rates?

  • bizarredeal on 03/09/2020 - 22:30

    I received this from the council:

    Any of you in similar state where the GRV is revalued lower however the council has upped the rates anyway? So the overall effect is barely much.

    Is the increase from 8.6c to 10.3c justifiable/reasonable/fair?

    FY => GRV => cents per $
    2017-2018 => $21,580 [8.3350c]
    2018-2019 => $21,580 [8.4850c]
    2019-2020 => $21,580 [8.6170c]
    2020-2021 => $18,720 [10.3323c]

  • Myone888 on 04/09/2020 - 08:14

    With the high council rates, they should pay and maintain nature strips in front of house.

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