Rates for the current financial year of 2023/24:
| Minimum |
$958.00 |
Differential General Rate, for the following categories:
- Residential
- Contiguous Residential
- Commercial – Shop
- Commercial – Office
- Commercial – Other
- Industrial – Light
- Industrial – Other
- Primary Production
- Other
|
0.16286 cents in the dollar |
| Differential General Rate, for category - Vacant Land |
0.40715 cents in the dollar |
| Landscape Levy |
0.007468 cents in the dollar |
Payment of rates can be made in advance at any time or by instalments due:
- 1st instalment due 1 September 2023
- 2nd instalment due 1 December 2023
- 3rd instalment due 1 March 2024
- 4th instalment due 3 June 2024
A separate notice will be sent thirty days before each instalment is due.
Your rates will be in arrears if they are not paid by the last day to pay. A fine of 2% will then be applied to the amount due. Every month thereafter interest (at the prescribed rate) will be charged on the total amount in arrears.
Council will consider applications for remission of fines/interest in certain extenuating circumstances. A request for a waiver of fines/interest must be in writing, setting out detailed reasons why a fine remission has been requested.
Generally not accepted reasons
Reasons for remission of fines and interest that are generally not acceptable:
1. Rate notice/overdue notice not received
Council’s rate notices are delivered one month prior to the due dates. Rates are due around the 1st of September, December, March and June each year. If you have not seen your rate notice before the due dates, please contact Council.
If you have not received your notice, please check that Council has your current mailing address or email address.
If you are a landlord, your rates notice may have been sent to your property manager.
If you have registered to have your notices emailed to you via eNotices, check your inbox by searching noreply@enotices.com.au, check your junk mail or sign into your eNotices account to view all of your notices.
If you have registered to have your notices sent to you via BPAY View, please sign into your internet banking and find the BPAY option to view notices.
If you have bought a new house, the rates may have been paid at settlement.
Please note that a fee of $8.50 applies to request a copy of a rate notice.
2. Interstate or overseas travel
To assist ratepayers with options to make payment while traveling, Council offers a number of payment options (as listed below) where ratepayers can pay 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ratepayers can also schedule payments via BPAY for each due date paying by credit card or via their bank account.
- Pay via Council’s website.
- Ring Council on 1300 276 468 and pay over the phone using your credit card. Please see the front of your rates notice for more information.
- Direct debit is also offered where payment is made via your bank account for each instalment.
To find out more about these payment options check your rate notice or see Rates Payment Options.
3. Payment was late by a few days
Each rate notice displays all amounts due and due dates for each instalment. Council allows two days grace for payments made on the due date which are made via BPAY or through Council website or by phone payments. Some banks may require 48 hours to process these transactions. Any rates amount outstanding by the third day after the due date will automatically be issued a 2% fine. To avoid fines please pay on or before the due dates.
Acceptable Reasons
Fines and interest may be remitted for the following reasons and require adequate documentation to be provided.
1. Death in the family
A copy of the death certificate is required.
2. Sickness
A sick certificate or letter from the doctor is required to support your request.
3. Suffering hardship (long term)
If a ratepayer is suffering long term hardship i.e. unemployed for over 6 months or more, struggling to meet all bills or on a pension, please refer to our Financial Hardship Policy and Guidelines(PDF, 150KB).
Council has a Financial Hardship Application that we encourage you to apply for. Once this has been completed by an approved financial counsellor, the Rates team can then work with you to review a payment arrangement to suit your budget, review the incurred fines and interest and remit accordingly, or look at postponement of rates.
4. Any other extenuating circumstances
Supporting evidence will be required.
Apply Online
Application for Remission of Fines and Interest
Fines and Interest Remission Guidelines(PDF, 250KB)
Council recognises that instances of ongoing financial hardship are experienced by some ratepayers. We will consider applications for rates remissions where ongoing hardship can be substantiated by approved financial counsellors.
Financial Hardship Rate Relief Application
Financial Hardship Guidelines(PDF, 279KB)
Ratepayers who hold a State Seniors Card (or who are eligible to hold a State Seniors Card and have applied for one) are able to apply to Council to postpone payment of rates on their principal place of residence. Postponed rates remain as a charge on the land and are not required to be repaid until the property is sold or disposed of. A minimum amount of $500, less any concession, is payable.
Information about the Postponement of Rates Scheme(PDF, 167KB)
Submit an Application for the Postponement of Rates for Seniors
Apply for a rates payment plan
If you find yourself in financial difficulty and don’t believe you can meet your upcoming rates payment, you can apply to enter a payment plan or for an extension of time to pay.
Choose how much and how often to pay
If you wish to enter a payment plan, you must:
- Choose to spread your payments out into weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments.
- Start your plan within 1 month from when you submit your application.
- You must pay the full amount before 30 June 2024.
- You are welcome to pay more than this amount at any time during your plan.
- Fines and interest will not apply during the period of an agreed arrangement if the payments are being met on time.
Extension of time
If you need an extension of time to pay your rates account in full, you can choose a payment date within 1 month when you submit your application. You must make a full payment on or before this date.
If you believe you need more than 1 month, we recommend you enter a payment plan.
If an extension of time is requested prior to the due date fines and interest will not apply during the period of an agreed extension.
Fines/Interest
Rates will be overdue if they have not been paid by the due date as displayed on your rate notice. After this date, additional charges will apply:-
- a fine of 2% of the amount due will be added immediately and
- at the end of each month thereafter, interest (at the rate prescribed in the Local Government Act 1999) will be added on any balance (including Interest) not then paid.
Fines and interest will not apply during the period of an agreed arrangement if the payments are being met on time.
Should the arrangement go into default all fines and interest will apply to the whole period of the arrangement.
If an extension of time is requested prior to the due date fines and interest will not apply during the period of an agreed extension.
What happens next?
- We will assess your application. If approved, we will send you a confirmation email with a payment schedule within 5 business days. The payment schedule will have the due dates for your payments.
- You do not need to wait to receive your confirmation email. You should start paying from the date you choose on your payment plan.
- You must set up regular payments with your financial institution (using Bpay). All your payment reference details are available on your rates notice.
If you are unable to make a payment
If for any reason you are unable to make your scheduled payment, please contact us as early as possible. Failing to pay your rates payments could result in legal action and further penalties will apply.
Apply online
Rates Payment Plan Application
From 1 July 2015, the State Government has elected to replace these concessions with a single 'cost-of-living payment' provided directly to those entitled. This payment may be used to offset Council rates.
To check eligibility, contact the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (DCSI) Concessions Hotline 1800 307 758 or at www.sa.gov.au/concessions.
You may be eligible for a concession on your Council Rates if your rates have increased by more than 12.5% for the current financial year. This year Council has automatically applied a rates capping rebate if you are eligible and this will show on your 1st Instalment notice for 2023/2024. If you have not received a rates cap rebate and you think you are eligible please use the online Residential Rate Capping Application form.
Certain persons/and or organisations may be eligible for a rebate, eg community groups, health and education organisations, etc. Council rebates can only be granted under criteria specified in our legislation.
Our Rating Policy(PDF, 160KB) and Discretionary Rebates of Rates Policy(PDF, 154KB) provides details of the mandatory and discretionary rebates available. Applications for rate rebates must be lodged by 1 September in each financial year. Please contact the Rates department on (08) 8366 4200 for further information.
Rate Rebate Application
If changing address or property ownership, you may continue to be liable for rates until your name is removed from our assessment record. Please advise any changes as quickly as possible by completing our Change of Contact Details form.
Please complete the Change of Name form.
Property owners or agents may use this form to add or remove a managing agent to a property within the City of Burnside Council area.
Change of Managing Agent form