An investigation has been ordered into claims some Gold Coast ratepayers have been overcharged.
Some residents have been slugged the higher rate for rental properties, despite living in the home themselves.
Council is urging the city’s 175,000 ratepayers to check their bills to ensure they are being charged the correct amount – with only 30 days to rectify any mistakes.
The Mayor admits he is concerned and has asked Council CEO Tim Baker to review the complaints.
“If its any room to help our ratepayers we will, so I’ll wait for his report and advise me on that,”
“I’d say to anyone who’s just bought a property, check your rate notice. That might have been an investment property before and now you’ve become a principal resident its a different rating part of it, so check your bills.”
Anyone who thinks they have been overcharged should get in contact with their local councillor, but it must be within 30 days as per State legislation.
The City will allow a credit to the rate account, or refund upon request, to overpayments on rating categorisations where a valid objection notice is received within 30 days of the rate notice issue date.
Council says the onus is on a buyer or seller’s conveyancer to ensure the correct rating category is listed on future rate notices, when a property is bought/sold.
Ratepayers have the further responsibility to check their property is correctly identified in the right rating category.
