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Help with paying your rates

We know some of our community have financial constraints. We have a rates remission policy for homeowners facing extreme hardship may get a reduction in their rates, or we can look at postponing payments. See which of the options below might apply to you.

There’s also a government rates rebate scheme for low-income homeowners.

Government assistance | Council assistance

Rates rebates (Government assistance)

The Rates Rebate Scheme is run by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), and Council supports the scheme by processing applications.

We know paying rates can be tough for some people. If you're a low-income homeowner or retirement village resident who holds a licence to occupy agreement, you might be eligible for a Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) rates rebate subsidy of up to $750.

Applications for the 2022/23 rating year closed on 30 June 2023.

Applications for the 2023/24 rating year open from 1 July 2023 to 1 July 2024. Processing of applications will start once the first rates instalment invoice is issued in early August 2023.

You might qualify for help if you:

  • pay residential rates and were living in your property on 1 July 2023 and
  • have a total gross household income for the tax year ending 31 March 2023 that’s less than $56,000 a year. (You might also qualify for a partial rebate if you earn more than $56,000, if you have dependants, or your property’s rates are high.)

Find out more on the Department of Internal Affairs’ Getting a rates rebate, or check if you might qualify using their rates rebate calculator.

You can apply for a rates rebate once during each rating year (1 July–30 June). Download a form from DIA’s Rates rebate application form, or pick one up from our service centres.

Bring the completed form into a Council service centre to be processed by 30 June 2023. 

If your application is successful, the rebate will be paid as a credit to your rates account. If you’re successful you can only receive one DIA rates rebate per rating year.

Rates remissions (Council assistance)

Under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, we're able to apply a remission to Kāpiti Coast District Council rates (all or part of) in certain circumstances. The criteria for each remission is outlined in the Rates Remission policy.

Eligibility | Ongoing financial assistance | Temporary financial assistance | Late penalty payment | Relief for two separately habitable units | Extreme financial hardship | Council community properties and other community organisations | Community organisations leasing private property for longer than one year | Māori freehold land | Land protected for natural or cultural conservation purposes | Actively farmed land in the urban rating area | Water rates remission for vulnerable households | Water leak rates remission 

Eligibility

You might be eligible for help with paying your rates. Check out the options below. Contact us if you think you might be eligible.

Each year we set aside up to $200,000 for property and water rates remissions to provide support to low-income ratepayers (including on behalf of tenants) who are facing tough times financially.

For a full list of information on all rates remissions, look at our Long-term Plan 2021–41, under Financial Strategy – Rates Remission Policy.

Ongoing financial assistance with rates

This is a rates remission is for ratepayers who are facing either long-term or temporary financial difficulty. The remission is up to:

  • $300 for residential properties

Assistance could be available to ratepayers who are paying more than 5 percent of their net household income on Council rates, after any Government rate rebate has been taken into account.

Applications for 2023/24 open from 1 January 2024

You can find the full criteria for this assistance on page 9 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Temporary financial assistance with rates

This rates remission is for ratepayers who have experienced hardship due to repair of water leaks, a serious health issue, or essential housing maintenance. It can provide up to $300 per rateable property.

Applications are now open for the 2023/24 rating year, until available funds are fully subscribed or 30 June 2024, whichever occurs first.  Expenditure must have been incurred within the current rating year (1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024) and proof of expenditure must be provided.

You can find the full criteria for this assistance on page 10 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Remission of a late payment penalty

When rate payments (property or water) haven’t been received by the penalty date, remission of the late payment penalty could be provided. This is determined on a case-by-case basis where it’s considered fair and equitable to do so, on receipt of a written application from the ratepayer.

Full criteria are outlined on page 6 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Remission of a late payment penalty application form [PDF 127 KB]

Rates relief for residential rating units containing two separately habitable units

This is remission of a second targeted rate for community facilities, roading and water supply where a rating unit contains two habitable units and the second unit is either:

  • a consented family flat or
  • a minor flat with a floor area less than 60m2 in a rural zone or a floor area less than 54m2 in an urban zone.

Where the second unit is:

  • (A) used only for family or friends or
  • (B) rented out for less than one month each year.

Application forms will be sent out to applicable properties in May each year and must be returned by 30 June to be considered for the next rating year.

Full criteria are outlined on page 8 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Rates postponement due to extreme financial hardship

This may be applied for where all the following criteria are met:

  • the property is the ratepayer’s sole or principal place of residence
  • there is still the required equity in the property
  • at least one ratepayer must be either:
    • 65 years or older
    • having financial difficulties or unusual circumstances.

All financial and administrative costs will be added to the postponed rates.

Full criteria are outlined on page 4 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Remission for council community properties, sporting, recreation and other community organisations

This is a remission of 50 percent of Kāpiti Coast District Council rates on:

  • Council-owned properties used exclusively or mainly for community purposes, sporting recreation
  • land that’s owned and occupied by a charitable organisation and used exclusively or mainly for sporting, recreation or other community purposes.

This excludes water and wastewater, where relief is provided by lower targeted rates.

Full criteria are outlined on page 5 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Remission for sporting, recreation and other community organisations leasing private property for longer than one year

This is a remission of 50 percent of Kāpiti Coast District Council rates on properties leased by a charitable organisation for at least one year, and used exclusively or mainly for sporting, recreation or other community purposes.

This excludes water and wastewater where relief is provided by lower targeted rates.

Full criteria are outlined on page 5 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Remission and postponement of rates on Māori freehold land

A remission or postponement on all or some of Kāpiti Coast District Council rates levied on Māori freehold land may be applied for, if the relevant criteria is met.

Full criteria are outlined on page 2 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Remission for land protected for natural or cultural conservation purposes

A remission may be applied to part of the Kāpiti Coast District Council rates for land protected for natural or cultural conservation purposes.

Applications must be in writing and provide documentary evidence of the protected status of the rating unit.

Full criteria are outlined on page 7 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Postponement of rates for actively farmed farmland located in the urban rating area of the district

The ratepayer must apply in writing before the start of the financial year (30 June); the rating unit must be an economic farming unit of 10 hectares or more, actively farmed, and the primary source of income for the property owner or the farming business.

Postponement applies to Kāpiti Coast District Council rates only.

Full criteria are outlined on page 3 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Water rate remission for vulnerable households relating to high water use

We know paying rates can be tough for some members of our community. Each year we offer a water rates remission to provide support to larger families who have high water costs. This rates assistance is available to tenants or homeowners, and water rates remissions can be up to $120 per household.

You could qualify if you get the tax credit and all of the following apply:

  • you pay water rates as a property owner or tenant
  • you have two or more dependants (18 years or younger) living at your property
  • you’re receiving a Working for Families Tax Credit
  • you have total water charges from 1 July 2023 to 30 April 2024 of more than $311.

Applications are open 1 May to 30 June each year, and you can apply once a year. If your application is successful, the remission will be paid as a credit to your (or if you're a tenant to the house owner's) water rates account.

You can find the full criteria for this assistance on page 10 of the Rates Remission Policy.

Water leak rates remission

We may remit water consumption rates (districtwide water supply volumetric rates) where you've incurred excess water rates charges due to a leak on your private water supply pipes and the leak has been repaired. 

Full criteria are outlined on page 522 of Part two of the Rates Remission Policy.