The purpose of this Policy is to enable a person liable for rates and charges, and experiencing hardship, to make application to Council for assistance relating to rates and charges levied on a property under the Local Government Act 1989 (the Act).
The policy assists ratepayers in the City of Melbourne municipality who meet the following criteria:
- For waiver of rates – a ratepayer of a residential property who is also the owner-occupier
- For deferment of rates – both residential and commercial ratepayers
- For suspension, reduction or waiving of interest charges – both residential and commercial ratepayers.
Application procedure
In the case of hardship, a request of assistance from Council must be made in writing, including the details of the circumstances preventing the ratepayer from meeting their financial obligation to Council. Council will consider the request for financial hardship and advise its decision in writing within 14 days of receiving an application for financial hardship consideration, subject to all relevant information being provided. Depending on the number and complexity of applications received, Council may utilise external organisations that employ qualified financial counsellors to undertake financial hardship assessments. A ratepayer may request a review of the Council decision by outlining the grounds for the review. This must be in writing and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer.
If you are experiencing financial hardship and need help paying your rates, please read the Policy and follow the steps on the rates financial hardship assistance webpage.
