Rates account for approximately 71% of the City's operating revenue. The City invests this revenue in our community with new infrastructure and facilities as well as upgrades and improvements to existing infrastructure such as river walls, roads, paths and drainage. Additionally, the City provides a range of services for our community including:
- Libraries
- Weekly rubbish collections and fortnightly rubbish recycling services
- One hard waste and two green waste verge side collections per year
- Community events
- Parks, playgrounds and sporting facilities
- Community facilities
- George Burnett Leisure Centre
- Aged care facilities
- Senior citizens centres
- Community safety initiatives
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Council rates are a contribution each ratepayer makes towards the cost of providing facilities and services to the community. How much you pay depends on the value of your property.
These services include maintenance of foreshore and parks, library services, roads, health, sanitation, building control and operation of recreational facilities.
Council rates are based on GRV (Gross Rental Valuation) provided by the State (see GRV FAQs for details).
On average there has been a 17.7% increment in GRV valuations across the City of South Perth. However, some property values have increased significantly, while others have reduced. It’s the redistribution of these valuations against each other that affects what an individual ratepayer’s Council rate charge will be.
Residential properties had a median change in GRV of 20.63%, Commercial 1.92% and Vacant Land 4.2%.
The Council resolved to increase the overall rates revenue by 5%. As result of the GRV increment, to generate the required rate revenue the Council needed to decrease the rate in the dollar.
For the 2023/24 financial year, the City of South Perth ‘rate in the dollar’ is 0.0730665.
This means that 7.30665 cents will be levied as rates for every dollar of the Gross Rental Value provided for your property, subject to minimum rate.
The Council resolved to deliver a 5% increase in rates as part of the 2023/24 Annual Budget.
The rate in the dollar figure is part of the annual budget process. It is based on the City’s expenditure requirements, both operating and capital, offset by other income such as grants and fees for service.
On average there has been a 17.7% increment in GRV valuations across the City of South Perth. However, some property values have increased significantly, while others have reduced. It’s the redistribution of these valuations against each other that affects what an individual ratepayer’s Council rate charge will be.
The modest rate increase of 5% this year reflects the City’s conservative approach to preparing the 2023/24 budget. We worked hard to identify efficiencies and cost savings to ensure maximum value for money for ratepayers.
The City of South Perth invests in our community with new infrastructure and facilities as well as upgrades and improvements to existing infrastructure such as river walls, roads, paths and drainage. Additionally, the City provides a range of services for our community including:
- Weekly rubbish collections and fortnightly rubbish recycling services
- One hard waste and two green waste verge side collections per year
- Parks, playgrounds and sporting facilities
- George Burnett Leisure Centre
- Community safety initiatives
Landgate Valuation Services determines the Gross Rental Value (GRV) of a property. GRV is based on the Landgate Valuation Services' estimate of the total rent (full year) that may be received from a given property.
Should you believe that this assessment of your GRV for your property is too high, you may object to the Valuer General to have your property reassessed. However, it should be recognised that this may also result in your GRV increasing further. Rates must still be paid by the due date and any adjustment would be made after Landgate Valuation Services have made their re-assessment.
For more information, visit the Landgate website.
The Gross Rental Value is calculated by multiplying the weekly rent, which is determined by the Valuer General, by the number of weeks in a year.
The Valuer General may determine that a brick and tiled house in South Perth which contains 4 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, and double carport could attract a rent after basic expenses of $500 per week.
GRV = $500 x 52 = $26,000.
Rent of $500 per week multiplied by 52 weeks per year gives an annual Gross Rental Value of $26,000.
For more information, visit the Landgate website.
The GRV is determined by Landgate (State Government) and represents the gross annual rental value that a property might reasonably be expected to earn.
To ensure a fair and equitable assessment is completed, all properties within a local government are assessed by our valuers at the same date, which is known as the date of valuation.
The assessment is conducted every 3 years for the metropolitan area and 3 to 6 years for regional areas, depending on the local government.
Find details of the most recent date of valuation for metropolitan and regional local governments.
More information on property valuations is available from Landgate.
Any objection against the valuation must be made in writing within 60 days of issue to:
Landgate Valuation Services, PO Box 2222, Midland WA 6936.
For your convenience, an online lodgement system is offered to complete your submission, attach supporting documents, save a draft and receive instant confirmation when your objection is lodged. When prepared, completing the form should take no more than 30 minutes for each property. A maximum of 10 properties can be included in the one submission.
Where an objection to the Valuer General has been made, the full amount of rates is still due and payable 35 days from date of issue of the rate notice. Any decision resulting from the objection or subsequent State Administrative Tribunal hearing will be retrospectively adjusted.
For more information please visit the Landgate website.
Rates for each property are determined by multiplying the City’s ‘rate in the dollar' by the Gross Rental Value (GRV) of the property.
Rates = City of South Perth Rate in the Dollar x Gross Rental Value.
Rates = $0.0730665 x $20,000 = $1,461.33.
Gross Rental Value of $20,000 multiplied by the rate in the dollar of $0.0730665 gives the value of rates for the property of $1,461.33.
Rates are not directly linked to movements in the property market. If rates were directly linked to the property market then rates would be far greater than currently. Using our budget as the starting point for setting the amount of rate revenue required protects ratepayers from increases that are not directly aligned with the provision of services.
Since 2003/4, all Local Governments are required to collect the 'Emergency Services Levy' (ESL) for Department of Fires and Emergency Services (DFES).
This levy is to fund the career Fire and Rescue Service, Volunteer and Rescue Service, Bush Fire Brigade, SES units and FESA units throughout Western Australia.
For more information about this levy please call DFES on 1300 136 099 or visit DFES website.
The Emergency Services Levy is calculated by multiplying the Gross Rental Value by the ESL Rate in the Dollar.
ESL = Gross Rental Value x Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) Rate in the Dollar.
ESL = $20,000 x 0.0139530 = $279.06 (this is below the ESL maximum of $491 for a Residential/Vacant Land property and the ESL maximum of $280,000 for Commercial/Industrial & Miscellaneous properties 2023/24).
A separate charge is levied for a Rubbish Service of $375.00 for each rubbish service provided for the year.
This covers both a weekly 240 litre household rubbish pick-up plus a fortnightly co-mingled recycling pick up.
Properties that are exempt from the payment of City of South Perth rates under Section 6.26 of the Local Government Act 1995 are levied with a Rubbish Service fee of $516.00 per rubbish service provided for the year.
A Swimming Pool fee of $58.45 may appear on your notice if you have a swimming pool or spa.
Under the Building Act 2011 and associated Building Regulations 2012 (regulation 53), inspection of pool inspections barriers must be undertaken at intervals of no more than four years. The City is required to physically inspect the safety barriers for all private swimming pools and spas to ensure compliance with safety standards with the annual fee covering this requirement.
In line with many other local governments the City of South Perth charges an annual ongoing ‘per annum’ inspection amount to cover the cost of the anticipated inspection(s).
A review of the fee structure determined that to meet the estimated cost of carrying out inspections, the 2023/24 annual swimming pool/spa barrier inspection fee needed to be increased to $58.45, which is the maximum permitted under the legislation.
If your pool or spa is removed, please advise the City in writing to ensure this charge is cancelled.
There are only two reasons under the Local Government Act 1995 which allow for an objection to rates:
- You are not the ratepayer of the land (e.g. not the registered owner of the rateable land)
- The land is non-rateable in accordance with Section 6.26 of the Local Government Act 1995.
Unless either of these two criteria is fully met, there is still a legal obligation to pay the debt. Interest is charged on outstanding amounts.
The City’s Financial Hardship Assistance Policy builds on relief measures announced by the Federal and State Governments. It focuses on vulnerable residents, businesses and community groups who are suffering genuine financial hardship by providing some relief from debt repayments.
This Policy is intended to ensure the City offers a fair, equitable, consistent and dignified approach to individuals and organisations suffering financial hardship, whilst balancing the needs and expectations of our community.
Some ratepayers may receive amended rate notices during the year called Interim Rates Notices. These notices are required to be issued if Landgate Valuation Services considers that the Gross Rental Value (GRV) of a ratepayers' property has changed.
Typical events which could trigger a revaluation and the need to issue an Interim Rates Notice include:
- Subdivision/Strata of land or Amalgamation of land (creation of a new lot/s)
- Improvements or additions to the property (building a new house, construction of a garage or carport or the addition of a bedroom)
- Demolition of improvements (demolition of a building)
- A new or additional rubbish service is ordered.
Your Interim Rates Notice will show the reason for the amendment and effective date of the change.
Council has adopted a minimum rate for 2023/24, $1,170.00. This applies only to the council rates portion of your bill.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has set an ESL minimum rate of $98.00 and a maximum rate of $491.00 for Residential and Vacant Land properties for the 2023/2024 financial year. Commercial, Industrial and Miscellaneous properties have the same minimum rate of $98.00 but have a maximum rate for ESL of $280,000.
In accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1995 and the Local Government (Financial Management Regulations)1996, ratepayers are offered a choice to pay rates in either one, two or four instalments.
To offset the cost of offering the instalment option, the Local Government Act 1995 allows for the charging of an instalment cost.
To qualify for the instalment option, the ratepayer must pay any arrears and the full amount of the first instalment by the first due date (18 August 2023).
The payment must be received by the City by close of business on that date. No responsibility can be taken for any delays encountered in the delivery of the mail.
The due dates for payment of rates by instalments for the 2023/24 rating year are:
| Option 1 (Two instalments) | |
|---|
| 1st instalment | 18 August 2023 |
| 2nd instalment | 9 November 2023 |
| Option 2 (four instalments) | |
|---|
| 1st instalment | 18 August 2023 |
| 2nd instalment | 18 October 2023 |
| 3rd instalment | 18 December 2023 |
| 4th instalment | 19 February 2024 |
The instalment option is not available if you pay late. The City has little discretion in this matter as it is controlled by State legislation. The City is prevented from allowing late instalment payments under Local Government Act Section 6.45 and Regulation 60 after the due date for the first instalment.
However, the City recognises that people can inadvertently overlook the due date or underestimate the time which mail takes to reach its destination.
When the City receives a rates payment too late to qualify for the instalment payment option under the Local Government Act, it will accept the payment as the first instalment of an informal payment arrangement (*subject to an administration fee, $35) with the same due dates as the instalment payment scheme.
*Eligible pensioners/seniors excluded.
The ratepayer must then accept responsibility for making the payments on the due date as there will be no reminder notice issued.
This informal payment arrangement can be effected by notifying the City's Rates Officer. Notification can be made by email to enquiries@southperth.wa.gov.au or on 9474 0777.
Please note that the City will not waive interest charges. The ratepayer will need to obtain a final pay out figure if they choose this option.
The City of South Perth understands that sometimes people experience financial hardship which makes it difficult to meet all of their financial commitments when they are due.
If you would like to make alternative payment arrangements, please contact the City as soon as possible.
Click here to obtain a Rates Payment Arrangement Application.
Interest will continue to accrue on these arrangements as per any overdue debt. It is essential before making the final payment to obtain the final payment amount from the City. An Administration Fee of $35 also applies to these payment arrangements.
About Concessions, Pensions and Seniors Rates
