[Dajana Poblete]

I understand that there may be different views on this topic. I would like to find out what most councils are doing and also if the OLG has issued any advice on this.

If a pensioner has a ‘Date of Grant’ of 1st July 2015 do they qualify for the
a) full year rebate or
b) rebate from next Rating Period, ie 1/10/15?

AND if a pensioner has a ‘Date of Grant’ of 1 October 2015 do they qualify for the
a) rebate from 1/10/15 or
b) rebate from next rating period i.e. 1/1/16?

[Susan Pardy]

Hi Dajana,
I am not providing this information based on any OLG information, but more on how I interpret the situation…
If eligibility was granted on 1 July 2015 (ie. the date of grant on the card is 1 July 2015), I would argue that they have met eligibility from (and including) the 1st July and therefore they are eligible for the whole of the period (and so would grant the rebate for the 4 quarters). The same logic would apply for all other periods: that a date of grant shows the date on which eligibility became effective and, conversely, seeing as though there has not been a day of the quarter that they were not eligible, I would grant it.
If, however, eligibility started on 02/07/15, they were not eligible on 01/07/15 and therefore they do not meet eligibility for the whole of the quarter and therefore it would start the next period.
Would love to hear how others interpret this, but that’s my take on it.
Cheers,
Susan

[Robert Hay]

Hi Dajana

Section 575
(4) If a person becomes an eligible pensioner after the day on which a rate or charge is made and levied, the person is entitled to a reduction under this section of the rate or charge proportionate to the number of full quarters remaining after the day on which the person becomes an eligible pensioner in the year for which the rate or charge is made.

Date of Grant = Levy Date, day on which a rate or charge is made and levied – Full Rebate. For example if you levy on 5/7 everyone with a Date of Grant up to and including 5/07 gets the full rebate.

Date of Grant = 1/10 person entitled to reduction proportionate to number of full quarters remaining “after the day on which the person becomes eligible.” So if Date of Grant is 1/10 the day after is 2/10 number of full quarters remaining 2.

Cheers
Robert

[Susan Pardy]

Learning something new every day!
Thanks Rob for your explanation 🙂

[John Towers]

Just to add further comment to Rob’s explanation:

If for some reason the rates for the year are levied late eg 3rd October (Supp or Split or whatever) & the person becomes eligible for the PCC on 2nd October, then they are entitled to a FULL rebate for the year.

The proportional year rebate only applies if the rate notice is issued prior to the person becoming eligible for a PCC.

Hope that makes sense.

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