Rates

How can I receive my rates electronically? 

If you would like to receive your Annual Rate Notice via email, please email a request to our Rates Department at mail@gingin.wa.gov.au or contact the Rates Team on (08) 9575 5100.

How can I pay my rates?

Click here for options to pay your rates.

What do my rates go towards? 

Your rates go towards various services and facilities provided by the Shire to benefit your community including (but not limited to):

When are my rates due? 

When rate notices are issued, the Rates and Charges are payable within 35 days of the date of issue shown on the notice - either in full, or the first instalment of the instalment option shown on the notice unless an alternative payment arrangement has been agreed upon by both parties. 

Your rate payment will include your Land Rates, the Emergency Services Levy, your Waste Management and Rubbish Charges. 

Late Payment Interest (Section 6.51 Local Government Act 1995)

If rates and/or charges are not paid in full or by the first instalment date, you may accrue daily interest on the overdue amount (an exception applies to ratepayers who have registered for a Pensioner's and Senior's rebate).

The following is a list of instalment dates for the 2024/25 financial year. 

How are my rates calculated? 

Current State legislation mandates the utilisation of property valuations as the basis for the calculation of rates each year. Unfortunately valuations alone do not always produce equitable results for all ratepayers. In addressing such inequities the Local Government Act 1995 provides several options such as Differential and Specified Area Rating to assist councils in achieving equitable solutions.

Differential Rating can also be used to allow the Shire flexibility in the level of rates being raised from specifically identified properties or groups of properties within the community. It is common for local governments to base differential rating for properties on Town Planning Scheme zonings, however other criteria such as land use may be used.

Currently, the Shire applies a Differential General UV - Rural Intensive Use and Mining category to all intensive rural properties and/or mining tenements within the Shire of Gingin. The intensive use of a given property impacts significantly on the capital and recurrent maintenance on the local infrastructure and services, i.e. local roads and use of Differential Rating recognises the additional costs generated from these commercial entities.  

All property in each local government area is valued by Landgate Valuation Services (a State Government agency). Valuations are forwarded to each local government based on Gross Rental Value (GRV) for urban land/buildings or Unimproved Value (UV) for rural land. To calculate the rates payable, local governments multiply a rate in the dollar by the land value. The per dollar rate is determined by the level of revenue that the Shire raises and is dependent on their proposed budget. 

The typical rates comparison will vary between properties depending on land use, size of the property and valuation. 

Can I object or appeal my property valuation? 

If you disagree with the valuation of your property, you may forward a written objection, stating the grounds for your objection, to:

The Valuer General
Landgate
PO Box 2222
Midland WA 6936

or by visiting their website. 

However it is important to note that Rates remain payable on the due date and any necessary adjustments and refunds are made after the Valuer General's decision. 

What happens if my Rates are Overdue?

If you are the owner of a property in the Shire of Gingin then it is important that you pay your rates by the due date. Your rates are your contribution to the running of the community services that you enjoy, i.e. the roads you drive on, parks you picnic in, etc.

In the event that the Shire of Gingin does not receive any payment of your rates then you will be issued with a Final Notice followed by further legal action should you fail to comply.

Tenants should be aware that in the event of this occurrence, under Sections 6.60 to 6.61 of the Local Government Act 1995, a local government has the authority to issue an order on the tenant of a property on which rates are in arrears. The order will require that any amount due under a lease/rental agreement is to be paid to the local government (i.e. Shire of Gingin) rather than to the owner or his/her agent. The order will remain in force until it is rescinded by the local government. 

See here for our Overdue Rates - Owner and Tenant Responsibilities Explained brochure.

Can I apply for a Concession? 

Eligible pensioners and seniors may be entitled to claim a rebate off their Annual Rates, Emergency Services Levy and the Specified Area Rates (if applicable) or defer payment.

To qualify for a rebate or deferment, you must be an owner and occupier of the property as of 1 July in the year you're applying for the concession.

The following concessions are available:

• Holders of a Seniors Card are entitled to receive up to a 25% capped rebate on rates (up to the value of $100.00), a 25% rebate on the Emergency Services Levy and up to 25% capped rebate on Specified Area Rates (if applicable).
• Holders of a Seniors Card and a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card are entitled to receive up to a 50% capped rebate on rates (up to the value of $750), a 50% rebate on the Emergency Services Levy and up to a 50% capped rebate on Specified Area Rates (if applicable). Deferment of each of these rates and charges may also apply.
• Holders of a Pensioner Concession Card or State Concession Card are entitled to receive up to a 50% capped rebate on rates (up the the value of $750) a 50% rebate on the Emergency Services Levy and up to a 50% capped rebate on Specified Area Rates (if applicable). If you receive the full 50% rebate (subject to capped amount) then you'll also be eligible to defer your rates, Emergency Services Levy and Specified Area Rates (if applicable) until your property is sold or no longer occupied by yourself. However, if you choose to defer, you will forfeit your 50% rebate.

No penalties apply for deferring your rates. However, all other charges including the Rubbish Service Charge and any applicable Security Service Charge and Pool Inspection Fee are required to be paid in full by 30 June of the current financial year.

Please contact Centrelink/Australian Government - Services Australia and Department for Communities for more information about these concession cards.

How to Apply for Pensioner or Senior Rebate

You can use either of these options to apply:

1. Call the Water Corporation on 1300 659 951 or visit their website. Once you have liaised with the Water Corporation, they will contact the Shire on your behalf. You will receive confirmation from the Shire.

2. Registration will take effect from 1 July of each financial year or Date of Application if lodged with Water Corporation after the 1 July. Applicants/owners can only claim one concession on one property per financial year. This must be the property owned and occupied as at 1 July.

Additional Benefits 

• May be eligible to defer (subject to criteria); and
• Eligible Pensioners/Seniors have until 30 June of the current financial year to pay their rates to receive the concession.
• There are no interest penalties. 

How do I update my contact details with the Shire? 

You can update your contact details with us by downloading the Change of Name or Address form below, completing it, and returning it to us via:

Email: mail@gingin.wa.gov.au or

Post: Shire of Gingin, PO Box 510, GINGIN  WA  6503

FORM - Change of Name or Address

Please note that if you have more than two property owner details to update with us then complete the form as many times as required. 

What is the Early Rates Incentive Scheme?

All ratepayers (excluding Shire Executive Managers, Councillors, and their families) who pay their rates in full by the due date will be given automatic entry into the Shire's Early Rates Incentive Scheme Prize Draw to win 1 of 10 prizes!

The draw occurs typically in September annually and pensioners/seniors who pay their rebate amount in full by the due date are also eligible.

This initiative is made possible by the generous sponsorship of many local and regional businesses who supply cash, goods and/or services to make up exciting prize packages for our winners.

When our community pay their rates early it goes a long way toward helping the Shire deliver on major projects and community provided services sooner rather than later.

Note: Ratepayers opting to pay their rates via two or four instalment Options 2, 3 or by alternative arrangements are unfortunately not eligible to enter into the draw to win a prize.

Terms & Conditions of Entry

1. Entry is open to all property owners of the Shire of Gingin who pay their rates in full by 11 October 2024. Shire of Gingin Councillors, employees and their families are not eligible to enter. 

2. Entry must be made by payment of the 2024/25 Rate Notice in full by cash, cheque, credit card, debit card or money order. Entries will be disqualified if payment is dishonoured for any reason by the financial institution concerned. 

3. The competition will commence with the mailing of the 2024/25 Rate Notice by Australia Post and will close on the due date, being 11 October 2024.

4. At the close of the competition all property owners who have paid their 2024/25 Rate Notice in full by the due date will be identified by the Shire’s Rates System. Ten (10) eligible rate payers will then be randomly drawn. 

5. The random prize draw will be conducted in front of a member of the public, a participating sponsor and designated Shire staff. 

6. The 10 winning rate payers will be notified by mail and invited to attend the Early Rates Incentive Prize Night (date to be advised). 

7. The Judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. 

8. The date of the random prize draw is 16 October 2024.

9. At the Prize Night the winning rate payers are required to register their attendance and then select a number between 1 and 10 which will determine the order in which they will choose their prize package. 

10. Winning rate payers who do not attend the Prize Night forfeit all rights to claim prizes. A proxy may attend the Prize Night on behalf of the winning ratepayer, provided the Shire of Gingin is notified of the proxy’s name prior to the Prize Night. 

11. Winners’ names will be published in the Shire's Council to Community newsletter which is advertised in four community newspapers circulating within the Shire and its e-newsletter version, and on the Shire of Gingin’s website and Facebook page. 

12. Prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash. 

13. The total prize pool is valued at approximately $14,000.

14. It is a condition of accepting any prize that winners agree to be photographed, interviewed and/or filmed for use in any promotional, marketing or other creative initiative for the Shire of Gingin.

Sponsoring the Early Rates Incentive Scheme

Would you like more publicity for your business whilst contributing to your community at the same time? Why not become a sponsor of the Shire’s Early Rates Incentive Scheme?

This year, we are doing something a bit different! Going forward, we will use the Early Rates Incentive Scheme as a means to promote a unique aspect of our Shire to generate interest in the local businesses that operate within it eg, food, agriculture, tourism etc. This year we are focusing on our coast and extraordinary shipwreck history.

In exchange for your sponsorship, the Shire can offer you one of four (4) promotional packages, with each package attracting a different level of publicity and marketing for your business depending on your budget. The options available can be found on the Sponsorship Invitation & Acceptance Form (link below) and are inclusive of GST.

If you would like to become a sponsor, please complete the attached Sponsorship Invitation & Acceptance Form indicating your preferred option, along with a high-res copy of your company logo, and return to the Shire with payment by Friday 19 July 2024.

Sponsorship Invitation & Acceptance Form 2024

Acknowledgement of Sponsors

Thank you to the following businesses for sponsoring last year's Early Rates Incentive Scheme (2023/2024): 

Statement of Objects & Reasons for Differential Rating

All land, except for exempt land, in the Shire of Gingin is rated according to its Gross Rental Value (GRV) in town sites or Unimproved Value (UV) in the remainder of the Shire.

General rates for each financial year are determined by Council on the basis of raising the revenue required to meet the deficiency between the total estimated expenditure proposed in the budget and the estimated revenue to be received from all sources other than rates. It also considers the extent of any increase in rating over the level adopted in the previous year.

Minimum rates are determined by Council on the basis that all ratepayers must make a reasonable contribution to the cost of the Shire of Gingin’s services and facilities.

Please see link below to the Shire's Statement of Objects and Reasons for Differential Rates for the current financial year:

Statement of Objects and Reasons for Differential Rates 2024/25

How is my GRV/UV calculated? 

Whilst Council is responsible for setting the Rate in the Dollar which is used to calculate your Rates, Landgate is responsible for undertaking a new valuation of your property every 3-6 years which is used to determine your UV or GRV to calculate the other half of your Rates. 

Landgate has a detailed amount of information on their website including a number of videos which explains how they calculate your GRV/UV. Visit their website to learn more by visiting the following links:

Property Valuations

GRV & UV Videos

Objections