Reduce your Rates – this letter to your Council may help
Heading – In support of Fee Waiver application of:
Property Number (on the Rates Notice)
Name
Number XXXXXXX Street
Town Postcode (Property Number (on the Rates Notice)
Date
Dear Sir
My wife and I are already suffering hardship die to alleged debts Council and your debt collector are pursuing us for.
We have been, for some years, unable to meet our basic living requirements due to the large amount of funds we have remitted to Council, and its debt collection agency.
We therefore urge you to grant a full Fee Waiver on our current rates notice.
In support of such full waiver, we have included extracts from the relevant sections of the Victorian Local Government Act 1989, below.
Best regards, and in anticipation of a positive result
Signed xxxxx
All Rights Reserved
and Insert the LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT for your State
*************************************************
Acts for all States
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1993 Act No. 70 of 1993 Queensland
PART 6—CONCESSIONS
Resort to remission, composition, settlement or deferral requires justification
629.(1) A local government may exercise a power under section 627
(Remission, composition and settlement of rates) or 628 (Deferral of
liability to pay rates) only if—
(2) Circumstances or factors that may justify the exercise of the power include
(a) that an owner of the land concerned is—
(i) a pensioner; or
(ii) an entity whose objects do not include the making of profit; or
(iii) an entity that provides assistance or encouragement for the arts or cultural development; and
(b) that payment of the rate would cause the owner of land hardship;
**************************************
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1993 No. 30 NEW SOUTH WALES
PART 7—PAYMENT OF RATES AND CHARGES
Writing off of accrued interest
-
The council may write off accrued interest on rates or charges
payable by a person if, in its opinion:
(a) the person is unable to pay the accrued interest for reasons beyond
the person’s control; or
(b) payment of the accrued interest would cause the person hardship
*****************************************************
________________________________________________________________ Local Government Act 1989 No. 11 of 1989 Victoria
PART 7—FINANCIAL PROVISIONS
Power to defer or waive payments
-
(1) A Council may waive the payment by a person of the whole
or part of any money payable by the person to the Council for a
particular purpose or as a condition of any agreement or arrangement
which has not been performed or which has been only partly performed whether by that person or the Council.
(2) Sub-section (3) applies—
(a) to a person who owes any money (other than rates and
charges) to a Council for any act, matter or thing done by
the Council or for a particular purpose or as a condition of
any agreement or arrangement; and
(b) if the Council considers that the payment of the money
would cause hardship to the person.
_________________________________________________________________
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1999 No. 62 of 1999 South Australia
DMSION 9-IMPOSmON AND RECOVERY OF RATES AND CHARGES
Remission and postponement of payment
-
(1) If a council is satisfied on the application of a ratepayer that payment of rates in accordance with this Act would cause hardship, the council may-
(a) postpone payment for such period as the council thinks fit; or
(b) remit the rates in whole or in part.
*********************************************
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1993 No. 95 of 1993 Tasmania
Division 9-Liability and payment of rates
Postponement of payment
125-(1) A ratepayer may apply to the council for a postponement of payment of rates on the ground of hardship.
(2) An application is to be-
(a) made in writing; and
(b) lodged with the general manager.
126-(1) A council may grant a postponement of the
payment of rates for a specified period if satisfied that such
payment would cause hardship.
(2) A council may grant a postponement of payment of rates-
(a) on the condition that the ratepayer pay interest on
the amount of rates postponed at a rate fixed by the council; or
(b) on any other condition the council determines.
***********************************************
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1995 (No. 74 of 1995) Western Australia
Subdivision 4 — Payment of Rates and Service Charges
Options for payment of rates or service charges
Concessions
6.47. Subject to the Rates and Charges (Rebates and
Deferments) Act 1992, a local government may at the time of
imposing a rate or service charge or at a later date resolve to
waive* a rate or service charge or resolve to grant other
concessions in relation to a rate or service charge.
* Absolute majority required
Regulation of grant of discounts and concessions
6.48. Regulations may prescribe circumstances in which a local
government is not to exercise a power under section 6.46 or 6.47
or regulate the exercise of the power.
.
.