FAQs

Council provides a rate discount under section 181(11) of the Act to encourage the payment of instalments of rates in advance or prompt payment of rates.

Mitcham offers a 1% discount for those ratepayers who pay the full year rates on or prior to the quarter 1 due date.

In 2020/21, 6,130 residential ratepayers received the discount at a cost of $106,000 ($17 average per property) and 310 Commercial / Vacant Land ratepayers at a cost of $13,000 ($42 average per property) at an approximate cost of $120,000 to all ratepayers.

Capital value distribution analysis show that those who decide to pay the full year rates are not significantly different to the overall distribution, i.e. it is neither benefiting more for those with lower value properties or higher valuer properties.

$1,800.

Those who currently pay their rates in full at the start of the year would no longer receive 1% off their rates, (an average of $17). The money saved as a result of this proposal would be redistributed to all properties as part of the 2021/22 Annual Budget (an average of $3 per property across 30,000 properties). 

To continue to recognise the early payment of rates, Council is proposing to offer six randomly drawn rates discount of up to $2,500 presented to one ratepayer from each ward.

It is proposed that Elected Members and Council Employees who are ratepayers are not eligible to receive the randomly drawn discount.

Council will consider submissions that will be provided in a report in April 2021, prior to adopting the 2021/22 rating policy in June 2021.