[Simone Fisher]

Hi Andrea,
We only accept changes in writing (email, fax or post) & have also recently added an online form to our website. The form is smart phone/tablet friendly & enables ratepayers to quickly fill in details & submit online. We then receive the change via email from our website.

With the exception of managing agent we don’t change an address unless we can verify that the request came from the owner or the person requesting the change can provide supporting documentation of their interest in the property (will, power of attorney, etc.). With managing agents we require them to provide their clients name. If it matches our ownership we change the address, if not we don’t.

Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Andrew, I contacted LRS’s earlier this week about another issue & they advised

“NSW LRS are aware of NOS notification issues for transactions occurring between 20-24 August (notification dates 28/08-01/09).

We are currently in the process of auditing all notification deliveries and anticipate sending an update this week.”

Thanks,

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Jason, we introduced a charge of $22 to reissue a 603 certificate a couple of years ago due to Infotrack. We were receiving 5+ calls a week from them also even for certificates that had been emailed to them attention to a specific person.
We don’t have an issue now as they seem to be locating the emails rather than phoning us for copies.
Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Carla, one of the conditions of our periodical direct debits is that the ratepayer is responsible for reviewing their direct debit & ensuring that each instalment is paid by the due date. Sometimes they’ll need to make an extra payment or lump sum payment for this.

If not paid by the due dates we charge interest on anything left overdue.

Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Karen, we had a similar one a few years back. As the lots adjoined & the ownership issue was clearly a title error we contacted the Valuer General & request a consolidated valuation once the title had been corrected.
Ours went back 5 years so the VG’s supplied a reascertained valuation for the current & previous base date valuation. This then allowed us to process a supplementary adjustment & cancel the rates on both assessments & relevy as one assessment back to the date it had been levied from.
Consolidating them only resulted in a slight increase for the ratepayer which they were happy about & being able to process a supp adjustment to cancel the second assessment was an easy fix for us.
Depending on the circumstances of this one it may be worth you speaking to the VG’s to see if this would be possible.

Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Cindy,
I’m pretty sure that DFRDB is the old Military Superannuation scheme. I received a query many many years ago from someone on it & I advised them that I expected that it would work the same way as any other superannuation fund & advised them to contact DVA to find out if they were entitled to a PCC & that I couldn’t grant a rebate unless they had a PCC the same as any other self funded retiree receiving a super income. They were going to make enquires with DVA & come back to me with a reason why we had to grant it for them but I never heard back from them.
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Michael, we’ve recently updated our hardship policy & on request of our Councilor’s have added some hardship provisions for farmland assessments. The new policy allows farmers affected by natural disasters or climatic conditions (drought, flood, etc) to defer payment of rates for the period of the drought plus a further 12 months or make an arrangement to pay outside of the usual instalments & then have interest written-off once the rate component of the account has been brought up-to-date. We take the initial request to defer payment or arrangement verbally as the Councilor’s wanted the process to be as easy as possibly but do explain that they would need to complete a hardship application & prove genuine hardship to have interest written-off once the rate component of the account is up-to-date.
We’ve also recently held any debt recovery against farmland assessments.
A copy of our hardship policy is available at http://www.wollondilly.nsw.gov.au/council/council-forms/?fid=3009 if needed.
Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Rod, section 574 gives a ratepayer 30 days after service of a rate notice to appeal against the levying of the rate on the grounds that the assessment is not rateable. I therefore believe that the onus is on the ratepayer to make application to Council if they believe that the property should be non-rateable & the application should be effective from the date of application or 1 July of the current rating year if the application was made within 30 days from service of the Rates & Charges Notice.

Unfortunately recent court cases (Karimbla Properties v Council of Sydney City) have disagreed with what would be the logical interpretation of the Act & have effectively given ratepayers unlimited time to appeal against a rating category & compelled Council’s to backdate approvals to previous rating years.

I believe that an appeal is pending but unless there is a better decision made on appeal an applicant would have a legal precedent to expect a backdated approval.

Currently any applications for change in rating category or exemption received here at Wollondilly are approved from the date of application or 1 July of the current year if received within 30 days despite any request for backdated adjustments but if the ratepayer objected to the L&E Court we would probably come to an agreement with them but any application would definitely be pushed to this point. Fortunately we haven’t had any that have gone to this point yet!
Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Trevor,
Wollondilly has weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly & annual from cheque or savings account only.
Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Layla,
Wollondilly offers several voluntary pension rebates.
1. 50% of one core domestic waste management charge (funded from domestic waste)
2. $45.00 (was originally introduced to rebate a special rate variation & has stayed. Funded from ordinary rates)
3. $25.00 (Stormwater Management Charge)
Please let me know if any further information is needed.
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Maria, my understanding is that K&G works are property debts & if works have been completed unless the debt was displayed on the 603 certificate (presuming one was ordered) it wouldn’t be recoverable from the new owner.
Interested in other opinions though.
Thanks,
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Andrea, I had the same problem but then managed to stumble across it. Link is below & the word version is Pensioner Concession Application Form – Hardcopy Format. About 3/4 the way down the list.
http://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/strengthening-local-government/supporting-and-advising-councils/directory-of-policy-advice/rating-and-special-variations

[Simone Fisher]

Hi David, no to both. Currently unofficially for s601 but I have recently updated our Hardship Policy & am expecting it to go to Council in May. Although we won’t reduce rates for s601 we will offer a payment arrangement & write-off of interest under s564(2) if the arrangement is adhered to.
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Tracey, we don’t process any supps after the end of April to align with 31 May due date.
Simone

[Simone Fisher]

Hi Trevor, we hold the payment in a suspense account for 2 instalments in the hope that the ratepayer will contact us once they receive a missed instalment notice or the next instalment notice. If they do contact us we ask for a proof of payment (bank statement showing payment) & then transfer the payment to their account.
If they don’t contact us & we still can’t identify the account we refer the details of the payment to Post Billpay & request that they reverse the payment back to the credit card used to make the payment.
When I first requested Australia Post do this they were reluctant but we’ve since sent several lists to them, usually with 5-10 different payments at a time & they’ve processed reversals for all credit cards that were still current.
Thanks,
Simone

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