The funds generated from Council rates supports the provision of essential services within the Adelaide Hills Council area.
General rates income represents approximately 80% of the Council’s operating income and is used to fund the many initiatives, services, programs and projects delivered for the community. This includes waste collection, infrastructure maintenance and upgrades, public health and safety, major capital projects, community programs, services and the provision and maintenance of facilities.
Following extensive consultation with the community, Council adopts an Annual Business Plan that outlines intended programs and services, together with what Council believes the community can afford in rates.
When rates have been set for the coming year, Council sends out a rates notice advising the amount, date for payment and how the rates can be paid.
Preferred rates notice delivery options
Adelaide Hills Council ratepayers can now opt to receive, pay and store quarterly rates notices electronically.
Receiving your rates notice electronically will make it easier and more convenient for you to manage your payments, save paper and reduce waste. You'll have your notice accessible on any electronic device (phone, tablet, laptop or desktop) and at your fingertips whenever you are ready to pay your rates; anytime, anywhere, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You will need to set up a new account before completing registration information. Follow the 'sign up now' buttons on the home page to quickly create an account.
Once you have an EZYbill account you can register for eRates. You will need your most recent rates notice; the assessment number and balance payable.
We send your quarterly rates notice straight to the same online bank you use to pay them. With convenient email, SMS or bank message reminders and secure online or mobile access, BPAY View makes it easy to pay on time, every time from anywhere in the world.
Follow three simple steps to sign up:
- Login to your online banking account
- Look for the BPAY View or View Bills section
- Register to receive your Adelaide Hills Council rates notice, providing your Name, Valuation Number and Reference number
Once you are registered and have added Adelaide Hills Council as a provider, the next quarterly rates notice will be delivered into the electronic mailbox and can be viewed and/or paid through these portals. After registration, paper notices will no longer be issued via postal delivery.
Other rates payment options
Telephone or internet payment may be made through your participating financial institution.
Look for the BPAY details on your rates notice.
Pay your rates through the Council's secure online payment portal.
Use the deposit slip provided at the bottom of the front page of your Rates Notice. Payments after the due date will be accepted.
Please note that Australia Post service excludes some small rural postal outlets that only provide post box facilities.
Detach the payment slip on your Rates notice, complete and return to:
Adelaide Hills Council
63 Mount Barker Road
Stirling SA 5152
Rates can be paid in person at our Customer Service Centres. Please note cash payments are not accepted.
Apply to have your Rates payments automatically debited from your account.
Complete the relevant form below and return to Council.
- Unconditional Direct Debit form — use this form for an ongoing, non-expiring payment
How rates are determined
Having determined its expenditure budget, Council then divides the portion of the budget to be raised from rates by the sum of all property values in its area. This calculates what is called a 'rate in the dollar'. Each individual property value is then multiplied by the 'rate in the dollar' to produce the rates bill for the property. The total rates paid by the community will equal the amount set in the budget.
Rates are calculated as a Fixed Charge plus a Variable Charge levied on the Valuer General's valuation of your property. The Fixed Charge provides a mechanism to recognise that all properties have access to core Council services, regardless of valuation, and need to make a contribution to the cost of providing those services. The remainder of the rates calculation is based on an average percentage charge on the value of all properties in the Council area.
The rate in the dollar is reviewed annually to ensure it only raises the budgeted amount required. Valuations do not determine the rates income of Council and as a result, Council does not gain windfalls from valuation increases.
The Regional Landscape levy is collected by Council on behalf of the State Government.
Information specific to Adelaide Hills Council rates is available in the most recent Annual Business Plan and Budget and Annual Report.
Property valuations
Council rates are based on property values, are a form of property taxation rather than a fee for service and depend upon property values. Valuations play an important part in determining how much each ratepayer will pay on a property.
Generally the Act expects that the higher the value of the property the higher the rates to be paid. For example, a person with a property valued at $250,000 will contribute less than someone with a property valued at $500,000 in the same Council area.
Values are set by the Office of the Valuer-General based on its assessment of the value of the property on 1 January of each year, which are then provided to the Council in May to be used for setting rates for the next financial year.
Objecting to a valuation
Ratepayers can object to a valuation if they believe it is inaccurate, and must lodge an objection with the Office of the Valuer-General. Council cannot alter valuations.
Rebates, rates relief and other information
Special Discretionary Rebate
Council's valuation used for rating purposes are undertaken by the Office of the Valuer-General.
For 2023-24 the Valuer-General has advised that there have been unprecedented changes in valuation due to a significant strengthening of the property market across the majority of Councils within South Australia. Data received recently from the Valuer-General indicates that this has also resulted in increased variability in valuation increases within the Council area across all land uses.
This is likely to result in many rate assessments experiencing a change in rates payable much higher or lower than the average rate increase proposed.
As a response to the impact of these market adjusted valuation changes from the Valuer-General, Council's rating policy position for 2023-24 is to apply a rebate to reduce the impact of significant valuation changes for 2023-24.
To be eligible to apply for a special discretionary rebate you must meet the following criteria:
- Your general rates have increased by more than 15%
- Your land use category is residential or primary production
- There have NOT been any recent improvements made to the property
- Does not apply to properties sold after 30 June 2022
- Does not apply to properties with a change to the land use since 30 June 2022
To apply please complete and return the Special Discretionary Rebate Application Form.
Hardship
People experiencing difficulty in paying their rates should contact Council as we can agree to more flexible payment arrangements for those who have difficulty meeting quarterly payments or postponement of rates for an agreed period of time.
Council offers postponement for a period of time without penalty as any postponement will provide the necessary time to help us determine whether the impact has been temporary or permanent. The postponement option would require some form of supporting documentation that your income has been reduced as a result of hardship.
Postponement of Rates — Seniors
Ratepayers who hold a State seniors card (or who are eligible to hold one or have applied for one) are able to apply to Council to postpone payment of rates on their principal place of residence. Postponed rates remain as a charge on the land and are not required to be repaid until the property is sold or disposed of. Interest is charged on the postponed amount. Please contact the Council to arrange a convenient time to discuss and lodge your application form.
Primary Production Rate Rebate
As part of its Rating Policy Council offers a discretionary rebate for primary production properties genuinely in the business of primary production, but not benefitting from a notional capital value for their property. These ratepayers are eligible to apply for a 10% rebate on their differential rate.
As this rebate was implemented in 2008-09 to address the removal of a primary production differential rate, it is considered that this rebate should continue to be made to those ratepayers in the business of primary production who have been granted this rebate in any of the last three rating years (2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23).
Mandatory rebates set by the Local Government Act
The Local Government Act 1999 (the Act) provides for rebates for rates in certain circumstances. Sections 159-165 of the Act lists those that must receive rebates and include:
- health services;
- community services;
- religious purposes;
- public cemeteries; and
- educational purposes.
To apply please complete and return the Mandatory or Discretionary Rebate application form below.
Council may also provide discretionary rebates under Section 166 of the Act.
Rural property address signage
Landowners are responsible for production, maintenance and replacement of rural property address signage. Please use one of the two following options to produce your property address sign.
Sign writer
The size used throughout the Adelaide Hills is 'D', and the Road Name uses abbreviations such RD for Road. Download the below template and provide to your sign writer for guidance.
DIY
If you choose to make your own sign please ensure it is clearly visible from the road where you enter your property. The standard way to label your address is the road number, road name and the abbreviated road type e.g. "7 ADELAIDE RD".