Rates Remission and Postponement Options

Discount for early payment of rates in current financial year
If your prior year rates and current year rates are paid on, or before, the discount date shown on Council's rate invoice you are entitled to a discount.

Remission of rates penalties
You may not have to pay penalties on overdue rates if you have an excellent payment history and there are circumstances beyond your control affecting your payment of rates. We may also waive penalties if you have a payment plan agreed with Council to pay your rate arrears.

Rates postponement for financial hardship
If you are experiencing hardship from extreme financial circumstances that affect your ability to pay rates, you may be eligible to postpone your rates payment. Find out more information on our Application Form (91 KB, PDF).

Rates postponement for homeowners aged over 65 years
If you are aged over 65 years and own your home, you may be able to postpone paying your rates until an agreed future date, using your home as security. Council recovers the rates if you sell your home or from your estate. You can apply for a Rates postponement for homeowners aged over 65 years on our online services menu by clicking here or alternatively print a paper application form (42 KB, PDF).

Rates remission for Maori freehold land
You may be eligible for remission for limited productive use. We may be able to provide some support through rates remission for a new economic development proposal on the land. We could also assist where there are multiple dwellings, or if you have outstanding rate arrears.

Rates remission for contiguous land
You may be eligible for a remission if you own adjoining properties and jointly use them as a single unit.

Rates remission for covenanted land
If your land is covenanted for environmental protection, then you may be eligible for a rates remission for the part of your property that is covenanted.

Rates remission for land used for sport and games
If your club owns the land its facilities are located on, it may be eligible for a 50 percent discount on its rates.

Rates remission for re-zoned land
You may be eligible for a remission if your land has been re-zoned and consequently is subject to higher rates, despite your use of the land being the same.

Rates remission for natural disasters and emergencies
You may be eligible for a remission if a natural disaster or emergency has made your dwelling uninhabitable, or has had significant long term effect on the productive use of your rural, commercial or industrial zoned land.

Water Rates Remission Policy
If you have experienced a significant increase in consumption of water (based on the estimated average consumption) that is directly attributable to leaks in the internal reticulation (water supply) of a rating unit connected to the Council's water supply network, you may be able to apply for a remission of excessive water consumption. View Council's Water Rates Remission Policy The Water Rates Remission application can be downloaded here (PDF 652KB)).