Frequently Asked Questions

Councils collect rates from residents and businesses to help fund vital community services and infrastructure, help build a sustainable and prosperous city and support strong communities.

Each day Council delivers more than 60 services and programs that help people and communities, making Maribyrnong a diverse and vibrant place to live, work and play.

Your rates allow Council to deliver a variety of services that impact almost every aspect of day-to-day life. Some of these services include:

• Waste management
• Activation and festivals
• Building maintenance
• Early years and maternal and child health
• Community Centres
• Libraries
• Youth services
• Open space, city design and strategic planning
• Traffic management
• Capital improvement works

Council is continuing to provide essential services during this time, including waste management, maternal and child health and capital improvement works. While a number of our amenities are closed due to State Government restrictions, we must continue to maintain these assets to ensure they can be enjoyed by our community well into the future.

Rates are based on the combination of two variables plus the municipal charge:

• the rate in the dollar – set by Council each year
• the valuation – the Capital Improved Value of your property
• municipal charge – the same set amount for every ratepayer in the municipality

The example below is for a residential property that has been valued by the Valuer-General's office at $750,000, including waste services  management charge, municipal charge and no pensioner rebate applicable.

$750,000 x $0.00276226 + $179.75 + $20 = $2,271.45* total rates payable

*Please note there are additional Fire Service property levy charges applicable.You can find out more on our ‘how your rates are calculated’ page.

Council’s annual waste  management service charge is now shown as a separate item on your rates notice, this cost was previously absorbed into the overall rates you paid.

The charge includes your weekly rubbish and fortnightly recycling bin collection, one general rubbish and green hard waste collection for the year.

Find out more about Council’s waste management on our website or to order additional bins you can complete the online form.

Rates are paid in four instalments:

• extended to 14 October
• 30 November
• 28 February
• 31 May

You can pay the whole amount of rates and charges in one payment if you choose to do so by same due date as first instalment.

Yes, you can pay your rates online via  eServices or  Post Billpay

All unpaid rates will incur a penalty interest rate of 10 per cent per annum after the payments due date. The interest charged on overdue rates and charges applies to annual and both instalment payment methods and is fixed by the Attorney General under the Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983.

The Valuer-General is the sole authority on land valuations that take place annually. Council has no jurisdiction over valuing residential properties for rates purposes.

The Local Government Act and the Valuation of Land Act require all properties in Victoria to be revalued each year. The valuation on your rates notice is based on the value of the property as at 1 January 2020.

It is important to note that property revaluations do not increase the amount of rate revenue raised by Council - it only redistributes who pays the rates.

Valuations are carried out by qualified valuers employed by the Valuer-General Victoria.

The valuers operate under the highest standards of professionalism and ethics. All valuers must declare their impartiality before undertaking valuations. They also undertake to perform all valuations to the best of their ability and judgement.

Valuations are carried out each year by the Valuer-General.

There are various reasons as to why your property valuation has changed. Changes may be in response to:

• higher sales figures in the area which increases the value of your property
• improvements to the area such as local developments
• changes to planning zones
• consolidation of land and increased dwellings affect property values
• improvements to properties
  

Under sections 16, 17 and 18 of the Valuation of Land Act 1960 ratepayers have a right to object to a property valuation.

Objections must be lodged within two months of the date of issue on your rates notice. Objections to Council rate notices must use the prescribed objection form.

Any questions about valuations and objections can be discussed with Council by phoning our Revenue Services team 9688 0200.

Even if you have lodged an objection, you must continue paying your rates and charges until your objection is resolved to avoid interest charges.

The process may take a few months before you are notified of an outcome. You can contact the appointed valuer to check the progress of an objection. Objections are required to be approved by the Valuer-General.

The Capital Improved Value (CIV) system is the most commonly used valuation by Victorian Councils. It takes into account the full development value of the property and is also reflective of the general market value of the property as at the date of valuation.

The CIV system also allows residents to see how much they are paying for waste management. This cost was previously absorbed into the overall rates residents paid.

The calculation for CIV has a general rate for residents and a differential rate is applied to other types of land, such as commercial, industrial and vacant land.

See example below:

• Council plans to raise a total of $10 million of rate revenue
• The total CIV of all rateable properties in the municipality is $2.6 billion
• The rate in the dollar is set by dividing $10 million by $2.6 billion to get a rate in the dollar of 0.385 cents

Council sets differential rates, for different categories of rateable land such as commercial, industrial and vacant land.

Council believes each differential rate will contribute to the equitable and efficient carrying out of council functions.

To view the 2020/21 differential rates for various types of land visit the ‘how your rates are calculated’ page

If you hold a current pensioner concession card or a Veteran Affairs card, you are eligible to receive a rebate on your rates.

You will need to complete a municipal rates concession application form and submit to Council. Visit our application for rebate page. 

You will need to complete a municipal rates concession application form and submit to Council. Visit our website to find out more.

A municipal charge helps to fund Council's administrative costs such as governance and corporate responsibilities. The municipal charge is the same set amount for every ratepayer in the municipality. The municipal charge for 2020/21 is $20.

The Victorian Government requires all councils to collect the Fire Services Levy from ratepayers. All funds received by Council through this levy go directly to supporting the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and the Country Fire Authority. For more information visit the State Revenue Services Office website

Any unpaid rates remain a debt on the property, regardless of any change of ownership. If rates or charges remain overdue for more than three years without an arrangement made with Council, we may obtain a court order enabling it to sell, or assume ownership, of the land to recover the debt.

If you are experiencing financial hardship or difficulty paying your rates, please contact us immediately on 9688 0200. We may be able to negotiate your repayment arrangements before you miss a payment.

All unpaid rates will incur a penalty interest rate of 10 per cent per annum after the payments due date. The interest charged on overdue rates and charges applies to annual and both instalment payment methods and is fixed by the Attorney General under the Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983.

To meet the needs of local residents and businesses who have been affected by the pandemic, we have dedicated $11 million to COVID-19 relief since April. This includes a zero per cent rate cap increase, deferral of quarterly rate payments (May and September 2020) for businesses and residents, material and financial aid for vulnerable families and young people, and the waiving of kinder and pet registration fees.

Council has also developed a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy to assist those who have been financially impacted by the pandemic. This will allow all ratepayers experiencing financial hardship to apply for an interest free payment plan or to defer their rates without penalty interest for a period up until 31 March 2021.