September 21, 2022
South Burnett ratepayers will have less time to pay their overdue rates and charges when changes to the Council’s rates collection process come into effect at the end of this month.
At Wednesday’s Finance standing committee meeting, SBRC Councillors voted to accept an updated Rate Collection Policy.
The previous version of this policy called on staff to issue a first reminder notice 10 to 14 days after a rates bill became overdue, and then issue a second, final reminder 21 to 28 days after that.
Under this system, ratepayers had 14 days to respond to either of the two notices.
But in the latest version of the policy, only one reminder notice will be issued 14 to 21 days after a bill becomes overdue, and ratepayers will only have 14 days from that point before debt collectors take over.
The policy stipulates Council will not pursue debts of $800 or less until they are outstanding for at least 12 months.
However, ratepayers with outstanding debts will be encouraged to make a 12 to 24-month repayment arrangement with the Council to clear their account if they can’t do so immediately (12 months for debts of $2500 or less, or 24 months for higher amounts).
Ratepayers who are undergoing financial hardship can apply for relief under the related Financial Hardship Policy introduced in 2019.
Under the latest Rate Collection Policy, the Council will not sell a ratepayer’s land to recover outstanding rates until a debt becomes three years overdue (or one year if the land is a vacant block).
But ratepayers who are taken to court for recovery of an overdue debt will have the Council’s recovery costs added to their bill.
Ratepayers who delay making a payment arrangement with the Council will be charged compounding daily interest until the debt is cleared or a payment arrangement is made.
The changes are designed to streamline the Council’s rates and charges collection procedures and clarify the steps the Council will follow when it collects overdue bills.
Both polices were carried unanimously and will come into force when if ratified at September’s General Meeting next Wednesday (September 28).
