Pay Rates
Council rates are calculated according to the value of land in the area. The value of land in the Strathfield Local Government Area is determined every three years by the NSW Valuer General. Council sets a rate in the dollar in its annual Operational Plan, which is then multiplied by your land valuation.
The Valuer General provides Council with new land values for rating purposes, and also provides landowners with a Notice of Valuation informing them of the new land value. The NSW Valuer General’s Department can be contacted on 1800 110 038 or visit http://www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au/.
There are many factors that are taken into consideration when deciding on land value including recent sale prices, zoning and access to public facilities. This means that rates charged for properties in the Strathfield Local Government Area will be different to rates charged by other councils.
Fluctuations in land values do not necessarily lead to similar changes in rates. Rates depend on each council’s rating structure and the limits to increases set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART).
If you disagree with your land valuation, as contained in the Notice of Valuation sent to you, you can object to the Valuer General. Council has no direct involvement in determining valuations or handling objections. The NSW Valuer General’s Department can be contacted on 1800 110 038 or visit http://www.valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au/.
You must still pay the full amount of your rates while your objection is being considered. Should your land valuation be amended, the Valuer General will advise Council and your rates will be adjusted in due course.
Strathfield Council issues rate notices in July each year. Rates may be paid in full by the due date or paid by four instalments over the year, on or before the
instalment due date.
Instalment notices are issued if you choose to pay by instalments.
The due dates are:
- Payment in full or first quarter instalment 31 August
- Second quarter instalment 30 November
- Third quarter instalment 28 February
- Fourth quarter instalment 31 May
Rates for 2019-2020 are calculated as follows:
- Residential Ordinary Rate of 0.059549 cents in the dollar on the value of all rateable land that falls within the ‘Residential’ category of Strathfield Council and subject to a base rate of $415.00 in respect of each separate parcel of rateable land; and
- Business Ordinary Rate of 0.268363 cents in the dollar on the value of all rateable land that falls within the ‘Business’ category of Strathfield Council and subject to a base rate of $415.00 in respect of each separate parcel of rateable land.
Payment must be received by Council on or before the respective due dates otherwise interest charges will accrue. Rates overdue are known as “Rates in Arrears”. Reminder notices are issued if instalments are not paid by the corresponding due date. Rates in Arrears will be subject to daily interest in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993 at the interest rate approved by the Minister for Local Government.
Unpaid arrears of rates will, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993, be subject to action to recover any overdue amounts. A ratepayer may make at any stage, in writing, an arrangement to pay off overdue amounts by regular instalments/payments.
The interest percentage will be shown on the front of your Rate Notice. For the financial year 2019/2020 this percentage is set at 7.5% per annum. Rates in Arrears may also be subject to recovery proceedings by Council that may incur recovery costs.
More information on Rates and Charges is available by opening the Why Pay Rates pdf below.
Rate payments can be made via the following methods:
Please note: All credit card payments will incur a 0.7% processing fee.
- Online – Post BillPay (using VISA or MasterCard) or by phoning 1300 704 941 (using VISA or MasterCard)
- BPAY – through your participating financial institution from your cheque or savings account (Credit cards not accepted).
- In person at any branch of Australia Post using cash, cheque, EFTPOS or credit card (VISA or MasterCard)
- Direct Debit – complete application form and return to Council.
- Commonwealth Bank branches (regardless of whether or not you are a customer.) Complete the details on the Bank Deposit Slip at the bottom of the rate notice. The bank will stamp Ratepayer’s Copy and return it to you as a receipt. Cheques made payable to Strathfield Council and crossed NOT NEGOTIABLE can be sent with the original deposit slip to PO Box 120 Strathfield NSW 2135.
- At Council’s Customer Service Centre – cheque, EFTPOS or credit card (VISA or MasterCard). Cash not accepted.
- At Strathfield Library – cheque, EFTPOS or credit card (VISA or MasterCard). Cash not accepted.
Change of Address
To change the mailing address on Council records send an email to council@strathfield.nsw.gov.au including the property address and new mailing address, or print and complete the below Change of Mailing Address form and return it to Strathfield Council, PO Box 120, Strathfield NSW 2135
The Rates Hardship Policy presents options for people facing genuine financial hardship, including:
- Payment plans, including weekly, fortnightly, or monthly payments
- Writing off rates and/or charges
- Deferral of rates (pensioners only)
If you are experiencing difficulty paying your rates, we encourage you to contact Council and submit an application.
Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, and should be made in writing to:
council@strathfield.nsw.gov.au
or
Strathfield Council
Attn: Rates Section
65 Homebush Road
Strathfield NSW 2135
Council must levy each residential rated property a separate charge for domestic waste management services. The cost of these services cannot be financed from ordinary rates and the charge must be sufficient to recover the reasonable costs of providing the services.
Domestic waste management charges include garbage, clean-up and recycling services. Domestic waste management charges are exempt from Goods and Services Tax (GST). Domestic waste management charges can be found in the Fees and Charges section of Council’s Community Strategic Plan.
Strathfield Council is responsible for stormwater management within the local government area. Council provides and maintains infrastructure including kerbs, gutters and stormwater pipes.
Under the Local Government Act, a Stormwater Management Service Charge can be levied. Council has resolved to levy the following annual charges:
- $25.00 per residential property
- $12.50 per residential and business strata property
- For business, the charge is $25, plus an additional $25 for each 350 square metres or part of 350 square metres by which the area of the parcel of land exceeds 350 square metres up to a maximum charge of $200.00
- For business strata lots, the charge is $5 or the relevant portion of the maximum annual charge that would apply to the strata scheme if it were a parcel of land subject to the land categorised as business.
The charge will be applied towards stormwater management services including:
- Mainstream flood mitigation works
- Local drainage and overland flow path upgrades
- Urban drainage renewal
- Water quality infrastructure
- Stormwater maintenance
- Enhanced pipe drainage maintenance
Ratepayers eligible for a rebate on their rates will also receive a stormwater management service charge rebate. There is no need to apply for this rebate separately.
Register to receive your rates notices via email by clicking here.
A misprint in the Inner West Courier on Tuesday 30 July 2019, incorrectly stated that rebates apply to Seniors Card holders. This is incorrect. Rebates apply to Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders. Council apologises for this error. Please contact Customer Service on 9748 9999 if you have any further queries.
Eligible pensioners may be granted a rate rebate of 50% of the rates and charges up to a maximum of $250 per annum. If you receive a pension you may be eligible for a rebate if you satisfy the following criteria:
- You hold a current pension concession card
- You own the dwelling for which a rebate is sought
- You occupy the dwelling for which a rebate is sought as your sole or principal place of living.
The pensioner concession card will need to be issued by Centrelink, or you may hold a current pensioner concession card issued by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs because:
- You are a widow or widower of a member of the Australian Defence or Peacekeeping Forces, or
- You are the unmarried mother of a deceased unmarried member of either of those forces, or
- You are a widowed mother of a deceased unmarried member of either of those forces, or
- You are a TPI under the Veterans Entitlement Act, 1986, or
- You receive a general rate of pension adjusted for extreme disablement under section 22 (4) of the Commonwealth Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986, or a special rate of pension under section 24 of that Act.
If you satisfy all of these criteria you will need to visit Council’s Customer Service Centre, complete an application form and produce your pension concession card.
Pensioners who have already been granted a rebate with Council will have their rate notice automatically adjusted provided there has been no change with their eligibility.
If you start receiving a pension after the commencement of a quarterly billing period and you meet the above conditions, you can claim a rebate from the start of the next quarterly billing period.
If you cease to qualify as an eligible pensioner, you will not be entitled to receive a rebate after the end of the quarterly billing period in which you ceased to be eligible. Therefore, if you were granted a pensioner rebate in advance that you are no longer entitled to, it will be charged back to your rate account for the period pertaining to your ineligibility.
Please contact Council’s Rates Section on 9748 9999 immediately if your eligibility changes.
If you wish to change the postal address to which your rate notice is forwarded or if your current postal address is different from the address shown on the front of your rates notice, please complete and send a Change of Address Form to Council. Council will not accept notifications of change of address over the telephone.
Council will accept a letter or fax from the Managing Agent, on behalf of the property owner to change the forwarding address. Please complete and mail the Change of Address Form to Council. Council will not accept notifications of change of address over the telephone.
Change of Name on the Rates Notice
If you wish to change your name on the rate notice, you must contact the Land and Property Information NSW office.
The Land and Property Information NSW office will require a copy of all supporting documentations to process the alteration to your name. They will alter the deeds and notify Council.
Adding or Deleting a Name on the Rates Notice
If you want to add or delete a name from the rates notice, you must first change your title deeds with the Land and Property Information NSW office.
Section 603 Rating certificates specify any outstanding rates, charges and debts payable to Council in respect of a parcel of land. A copy of the application form can be viewed or printed from this page.
To expediate processing, please forward a fully completed copy of the application form and payment to council@strathfield.nsw.gov.au or mail to Strathfield Council, PO Box 120, Strathfield NSW 2135.
Download Section 603 Certificate Application Form below –
Section 603 Certificate Application
Interest Charges
If an instalment is not paid on or before the due date, the instalment will become overdue and will be known as “Rates in Arrears”. Rates in Arrears will be subject to daily interest in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993 at the interest rate approved by the Minister for Local Government.
The interest percentage will be shown on the front of your Rate Notice. For the financial year 2016-17 this percentage is set at 8% per annum. Rates in Arrears may also be subject to recovery proceedings by Council and may incur recovery costs.
Address Change (Postal) for Property Owner
If your current postal address is different from the address shown on the front of the Rate Notice, please notify Council’s Rates Section immediately. Notification can be made by fax or post. Change of Address forms can be obtained from Council’s Customer Service Centre. Council will not accept notifications of change of address over the telephone.
Address Change (Postal) for Managing Agent
Council will accept a letter or fax from the Managing Agent, on behalf of the property owner to change the forwarding address. Notification can be made by fax or post. Change of Address forms can be obtained from Council’s Customer Service Centre. Council will not accept notifications of change of address over the telephone.
Domestic Waste Management Charge
Council must levy a separate charge for domestic waste management services. The cost of these services cannot be financed from ordinary rates and the charge must be sufficient to recover the reasonable costs of providing the services.
Domestic waste management charges include garbage, clean-up and recycling services.
Domestic waste management charges are exempt from Goods and Services Tax (GST), under Division 81, determination entitled A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) (Exempt Taxes, Fees and Charges) Determination 2001.
Name Change on the Rate Notice
If you have changed your name that appears on your Rate Notice (example, by way of marriage or Deed Poll), you must contact the Land and Property Information (LPI) NSW office.
The Land and Property Information (LPI) NSW office will require a copy of all supporting documentations to process the alteration to your name.
The Land and Property Information (LPI) NSW office will alter the deeds and notify Council.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Council Rates and Domestic Waste Service charges are all exempt from the GST in accordance with A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) (Exempt Taxes, Fees and Charges) Determination 2001 (No 4) Division 81.
The State Debt Recovery Office (SDRO) offers clients the ability to pay fines using credit cards or BPAY via their website www.sdro.nsw.gov.au.
The website gives detailed information including options, publications, frequent questions and payment methods for fines.
Contact details
The State Debt Recovery Office (SDRO)
www.sdro.nsw.gov.au
Email: info@sdro.nsw.gov.au or fines@osr.nsw.gov.au
