Frequently Asked Questions

Rates are used to fund essential infrastructure and services such as:

• helping to maintain parks and recreation facilities, roads, footpaths, street lighting, and sporting and health facilities 
• providing library and community services, building control and town planning, environmental planning and conservation, street cleaning, city rangers, pest control and much more.

We issue annual rates notices in July. You can setup your own digital rate notices through Payreq or BPAY View.

We offer the ability to receive your Council Rate Notices by email, instead of by post. We encourage our ratepayers to sign up and help reduce our impact on the environment.

Sign up for electronic rates notices

Annual rates notices are issued in July, with payment due by:

• 31 August if you are paying in full
• 31 August, 30 November, 28 February and 31 May if you choose to pay quarterly.

If you pay quarterly, your notices will be issued a month before each due date.

Rates instalments not paid in full by the due date will be subject to daily interest as in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993 at the interest rate approved by the Minister for Local Government annually.

Overdue rates may also be subject to recovery proceedings by Council and may incur recovery costs. Should you be having difficulty paying your rates by the due date please contact Council’s Rates department.

Income raised from the levy of the special rates is expended specifically for that purpose only.

Environmental Levy

This Special Rate will provide funding for $1.8M of environmental works over 10 years commencing 1/7/2013, and is also applicable to all rateable properties.

Other Infrastructure Special Rate

Other Infrastructure Special Rate (commenced on 01/07/2013 for a period of 10 years). This special rate will provide Council with $2.5M to undertake the foothpath, kerb and gutter renewal program.

Community Facilities Special Rate

The Community Facilities Special Rate commenced on 01/07/2019.

This special rate will be used to fund a 10 year program of community facilities, which will include upgrades, improvements and new infrastructure to our community buildings, parks, reserves and playgrounds.

Some specific projects will include:

• external upgrades and maintenance to Hunters Hill Pre School, Riverside Pre School and Gladesville Occasional Care.
• painting, air conditioning maintenance and upgrades to Henley Community Centre, Gladesville Rd Community Centre, Respite Care.
• improvements to Riverglade Reserve, including the amenities block and sports fields.

upgrades to playgrounds throughout the LGA.

The land values assigned for rating purposes are supplied by the Valuer General’s Office. These valuations are made every 3 years (approximately).

Appeals Against Land Valuations

Any objections or appeals regarding the valuation of the land value must be directed to the Valuer General of New South Wales. Whether or not an objection is pending, the rates levied must be paid by the due date indicated on the front of your Rate Notice.

Land Exempt from Rates

Certain land is exempt from rating (referred to as “Non-Rateable Land”).

In order to be eligible for exemption from rating (Non-Rateable Land) your parcel of land must be one of the following categories, as stipulated in the Local Government Act, 1993, they include;

• Churches
• Minister’s residences
• Schools
• Public Land
• Hospitals
• Land owned and used by Public Charities and certain other land as provided in the provisions of the section 555 of the Local Government Act, 1993.

You may apply to have your property exempt from rating, or appeal Council’s decision, in the Land and Environment Court.

Further information regarding non-rateable land may be obtained from the Council’s Rates Department on 9879 9435.

Pension Concession

Some residents are entitled to pensioner concession. For more information visit our pensioner concession page or read our fact sheet(PDF, 63KB). 

I have recently purchased (or sold) a property

If you have recently sold (or purchased) a property, the transference of the ownership must be processed through the NSW Land Registry Service - they will send the required notification to Council, whereupon the Council record will be updated.

A property owner has passed away

If a property owner has passed away (is deceased), we can arrange for the Rates account to reflect as "The Estate of the Late *property owners name*". To arrange this, Council will require a copy of the death certificate.

If you are seeking to either: a/ have a deceased persons name removed in full; or b/ you are seeking to have your (or another persons) name included as the new owner, you must undergo the probate process where the appropriate notices must be lodged with NSW Land Registry Services. The Land Registry office will then make the appropriate notifications to Council, whereupon the record will be updated accordingly.

I have changed my name

If you have changed your name, you will need to contact NSW Land Registry Services and lodge the appropriate paperwork to change your name in their records. The Land Registry office will then provide the necessary instructions to Council, whereupon we shall update our records accordingly.

If you're not sure if you made a payment on your Rates, you can call us on 02 9879 9400 and we can check to see if your Rates are up to date.

You can reduce your Rates by downgrading the size of your red bin (or eliminating "additional" bin services, such as a secondary green bin). See here for more information about adjusting your bin services.

If you are experiencing financial strain and need additional assistance, you can acquire more information about financial hardship relief here.

If your Rates notice has not arrived and you need to get a copy, you can either:

• visit customer service reception at Hunters Hill Town Hall (22 Alexandra St Hunters Hill). You will require proof of your identity as the owner of the property. Allow our staff to confirm your identity, afterwhich we can print you a copy of your Rates notice
• you can send an email to info@huntershill.nsw.gov.au, wherein you must identify yourself as the owner of the property to which the Rates refer. You must also provide your best contact phone number. Please note that email requests may take additional time, as they must be referred to the Rates Officer for consideration.

Council can provide copies of historical Rates notices, however, the notices can (only) be from the time period in which the property was under your ownership. If you would like to request historical Rates notices, please send an email to info@huntershill.nsw.gov.au (please ensure that you provide your best contact phone number).