Rates - how to pay and rebates

Discount for early payment

A 2% discount is offered if the full year's rates are paid by the due date for the first instalment (ie 20 August).

How to pay

You can pay your rates online, by direct debit, automatic payment, internet or telephone banking, or in person.

Direct Debit

Paying by direct debit means you can pay your rates the secure and easy way. To pay your property or water rates by direct debit please complete our online form.

Pay your rates by direct debit

Online banking and telephone banking

You can use internet or telephone banking to pay your rates and other Rotorua Lakes Council payments.

Please ensure you include your properties valuation number in the Payer Reference field.

Telephone

Before contacting your bank to set up payments by telephone contact Council's Customer Service Centre on (07) 348 4199 for the information you need.

Internet

Rotorua Lakes Council should be set up as a bill payee with your bank.
Certain banks, e.g. ANZ, require you to contact them to set this up and you will need to provide the bank with the Valuation Number from your rates invoice for the applicable property. The bank will have all of the other required details.
To set up Rotorua Lakes Council for your bill payment:
Log on to your bank account
Select your Bill Payment function
Search for Rotorua Lakes Council, as your Bill Payee. (you do not need the bank account number.)
Follow the prompts.
If you experience difficulty with your internet banking set-up contact your bank's Customer Service 0800 number:
Note: For multiple properties, it is essential that a separate payment is set up for each property.

Automatic payment

Regular payments are made from your bank account (weekly, fortnightly or monthly).
You will need to increase the payments from time to time so that they completely clear your instalments and you avoid late payment penalties.
Contact Council's Customer Service Centre for further information.

Credit card

You can use Mastercard or Visa to pay rates through the secure BNZ online payment service. This service is only accessible via Council's website.

BNZ charges a fee, based on the amount paid, for each transaction. Council does not receive any part of this fee.

BNZ Credit Card Online Payment Service

In person

Pay by cash or EFTPOS at Council's Customer Service Centre.

Change to rates invoicing from July 2022

Rotorua ratepayers now receive separate rates invoices from Rotorua Lakes Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

The timing of your four quarterly invoices from Rotorua Lakes Council will not change.

You will receive one invoice per year from Bay of Plenty Regional Council in late August/early September for payment by 20 October.

More information about regional council rates is available at boprc.govt.nz/rates or email rates@boprc.govt.nz or call the regional council on 0800 884 880.

Receiving your Rotorua Lakes Council rates invoice

Keep your contact details current

A key to receiving your rates invoice or Council being able to stay connected with the owners of properties in our district is for owners to keep their contact details up to date. Owners/people move, email addresses change, landlines are disconnected and/or cellphone numbers become obsolete.

Details can be kept up to date by contacting Council's Customer Service by either:

Visiting the customer centre 1061 Haupapa Street, Rotorua
Emailing: info@rotorualc.nz
Or call: (07) 348 4199

Rates invoices by email

You can receive your rates assessments and invoices by email rather than by regular mail. This should be useful for overseas-based and other non-resident property owners.

Visit the Rates by Email Registration page to register for this service

Avoiding late payment penalties

A 10% penalty applies to any part of a quarterly rates invoice not paid by the due date specified on that invoice. The final payment dates for each quarter of the rating year are 20 August, 20 November, 20 February, and 20 May.

Rates Rebate

The Rates Rebate Scheme provides assistance in the form of a rebate (i.e. a deduction from a ratepayer's rates account) to those on low incomes to assist them in meeting the cost of their rates.

You can apply for a rates rebate if you were the legal ratepayer for the property where you were usually living on 1 July on a given year. As a ratepayer your name should be on the rates bill.

Maximum Rate rebate that is able to be applied to your rates bill for 2023/24 is $750. However, to be eligible your Maximum Income Abatement Threshold is $30,100.

To be eligible you need to declare the income that you, and any spouse, partner or joint home owner living with you on 1 July 2023, received for the tax year ended 31 March 2023. Income must be the amount received before tax and also includes some types of non-taxable income, such as certain Work and Income allowances.

How do I apply for a rates rebate?

The Rates Rebate scheme is administered by the Department of Internal Affairs but Rates Rebate applications are processed by local Councils.

If applying between:
July to October:	An appointment is required. If you were booked in for a rates rebate during this time period last rating year an appointment date and time will automatically be posted out to you. If this is your first time applying or you have applied before but outside of this time period (but you would like to claim during this period) contact the Rotorua Lakes Council Customer Solutions team on 07 348 4199 to book an appointment.
October to June:	Customers are welcome to come into the Rotorua Lakes Council Customer Centre during working hours, no appointment is required.

If applying between:

July to October:

An appointment is required. If you were booked in for a rates rebate during this time period last rating year an appointment date and time will automatically be posted out to you. If this is your first time applying or you have applied before but outside of this time period (but you would like to claim during this period) contact the Rotorua Lakes Council Customer Solutions team on 07 348 4199 to book an appointment.

October to June:

Customers are welcome to come into the Rotorua Lakes Council Customer Centre during working hours, no appointment is required.

For your appointment, you will need to have the following information with you:

Details of all Gross Annual Income, (before tax) - of the relevant financial year, 1 April to 31 March
Personal Tax Summary - available from Inland Revenue.
Phone 0800 227 774. Please note, it can take up to 10 working days before you receive this from the IRD
Wages & Salary - (Tax Summary from IRD/employer)
Work & Income Benefit & Superannuation - (RLC have this earnings information)
Additional Allowances - Additional to the Benefit e.g. Accommodation Benefit - (from WINZ)
In work Tax credits, Minimum Family Tax Credits & Parental Tax Credits - (from IRD)
Gross Interest/ Dividends earned during the relevant financial year, 1 April to 31 March
Rental Income/Shares/Overseas Benefits or income
Your Rates Invoice
Also, your Environment Waikato rates (if applicable)
ID - Community Services or Gold Card

Note: If someone else will be attending the appointment on your behalf, please ensure they bring a copy of the Power of Attorney giving them permission to represent you.

My income is more than $30,100. Will I be eligible for a rates rebate?

You may still be eligible, even if you and your spouse/partner's income is greater than the income abatement threshold of $30,100.

Eligibility is based on your income level as well as the rates you pay and the number of dependents living with you.

Note: Try the Rates Rebate Entitlement Calculator on the Department of Internal Affairs website.

Can I apply for more than one rebate?

No. Ratepayers are only entitled to one Rates Rebate per rating year.

This is New Zealand wide. Therefore, if a customer owns a property in Tauranga and Rotorua and has applied for and been granted a rebate in Tauranga, they are not eligible to also apply for a rebate in Rotorua.