Frequently asked rates questions

Average residential rates and charges are summarised in the table below:

1. Gross Rental Values (GRV) – are the basis for rating, independently determined by the Valuer Generals Office website.
2. Waste – $12.14 increase. Maintaining a high comparative level of service.
3. Security – $1.86 increase.
4. Rates – a differential rating system was introduced 2018/19. Rates are now divided into three categories; Residential / Non-residential / Unimproved.
5. Emergency Services Levy (ESL) – $155.19 average increase – the ESL is a State imposed charge collected by the City of Canning. The City has no control over the increase or charging of this levy. For more information about this charge, please call 1300 136 099 or visit the DFES website.
6. Minimum – consistent minimum rates charge across all differential categories.

The City no longer surcharges credit card payments, as we have gone Cashless in Canning.

In 2018/19 the City introduced Differential Rating whereby a separate rate in the dollar is applied to different uses or categories of land. This is considered to be a fairer distribution of costs across property types by enabling the City to vary the impact of rates on different categories of land to ensure an equitable contribution of the rating burden.

In previous years, the City has charged the same rate in the dollar for all rateable properties. This is the fourth consecutive year the City's rating will be based on 'Land use' and 'Improved' or 'Un-improved' land.

A separate rate in the dollar will be charged for the following three (3) categories:

• Rates are calculated by multiplying a property’s Gross Rental Value (GRV) by the rate in the dollar set by the City Council. Please see above table for the 2023/24 rate in the dollars. These amounts are subject to a minimum payment which is also set each year by the Council. The 2023/24 minimum rate is $1,002.
• Gross Rental Value (GRV) is the fair rental value of your property, as determined by the Valuer General’s Office (part of Landgate) and is an estimate of how much you could expect to receive if you were to rent your property. To learn more about GRV, visit the Landgate website.
• Each property is individually assessed by the Valuer Generals Office once every three years, to determine its GRV. This year, 2023/24 GRV's are based on rental figures as at 1 August 2021.

Gross Rental Value = The yearly rent the property would be expected to receive if rented. The City of Canning then sets the Rate in the Dollar that it will charge to maintain the City's services.

Rate in the Dollar = The rates charged per dollar of Gross Rental Value. A combination of the two will result in your rates charges. The rate in the dollar is shown in the top right hand corner of your rate notice.

The ratepayers in Canning pay lower rates than many other local governments.

Your rates pay for the maintenance of roads, parks and playgrounds, rubbish collection, community events, libraries and all of the amazing services they provide, preserving the natural environment and a wide range of other services.

Option One: Upfront and in full payment by 8 September 2023.

Option Two: Four Instalments (Instalment interest of 2.5% applies on 2nd, 3rd and 4th instalments).

• Instalment 1 – Due 8 September 2023
• Instalment 2 – Due 10 November 2023
• Instalment 3 – Due 12 January 2024
• Instalment 4 – Due 15 March 2024

The Penalty Interest for late payment is 7% per annum on overdue rates and service charges and 11% per annum on overdue Emergency Services Levy.

If you are unable to pay your rates instalments due to financial hardship, you can apply to the City for a special arrangement. Due date extension or payment arrangement are available.

In addition, weekly, fortnightly or monthly payment plans by direct debit are also available. When setting the conditions of the plan, we will consider your capacity to pay and will work with you to base a payment plan on how much you can afford to pay and determine a realistic amount based on your individual circumstance. Please contact the rates department on 1300 422 664 to discuss your request or alternatively contact us via email at rates@canning.wa.gov.au.

Please be aware, a dishonoured payment fee of $15 per dishonour applies.

The Penalty Interest for late payments is 7% per annum on overdue rates and service charges and 11% per annum on overdue Emergency Services Levy.

Please advise us promptly to update any postal or contact details. You can update your details on our website, by calling 1300 422 664 (during office hours Monday to Friday) or emailing rates@canning.wa.gov.au.

When a person sells or disposes of land, the owner or agent must advise the City in writing within 21 days of the change in ownership, giving full details of the purchaser and the date of the transfer of land.

If you feel the valuation applied to your property is incorrect, you can lodge an objection with the Valuer General’s office within 60 days of the issue of your rates notice. This process is only for objections to the Gross Rental Value (GRV) allocated to a property by the State Government and not the rate in the dollar. The City of Canning is not authorised to alter property valuations except on the advice of the Valuer General’s office.

For further information please contact the Valuer General’s office via the Landgate website or phone 08 9273 7373.

You can also learn more about GRV and the valuation process.

A specified area rate applies to properties in a designated area within the City. Owners in Canning Vale pay a special rate to cover the costs of additional landscaping services which is listed as an additional item on the rate notice. The same Gross Rental Value (GRV) used for calculating rates is applied to this rate to calculate the specified area rate payable. The City is required to use the money from specified area rates for the purpose for which the rate is imposed and in the financial year in which it is imposed.

When there are changes to your property that affects the Gross Rental Valuation (GRV), the City receives advice of the new valuation and an effective date for that valuation from the Valuer General. We will then issue an interim rate notice reflecting the adjustment. Examples of where a valuation would be amended include when a new building has been built, a pool has been installed, a new room has been added, a property, or part of, has been demolished. The City usually receives interim valuations from the Valuer General within one to two months of the change to the property.

These are flat rate charges and are not affected by your GrossRental Value (GRV).

GST is not payable on general rates, the emergency services levy, underground power charges or domestic rubbish collection charges. GST is only payable on additional commercial rubbish charges and will be identified on applicable rate notices.

Pool owners are advised that State Government legislation requires all private swimming pool enclosures to be inspected at least every four years. The City’s fee for this will be charged at $44.70 per annum for each registered pool enclosure. The City no longer applies a 50% reduced levy to eligible pensioners and seniors. This annual fee is designed to recover the cost of all inspections over a four year inspection cycle. All pool owners are encouraged to properly maintain their pool enclosures in the interests of safety.

The City of Canning provides a 24-hour security service with four vehicles on patrol. We provide a service in-house to keep costs down. When notified, we can check on suspicious behaviour and can have our patrols monitor your property while you are on holiday. Our after-hours call centre has been improved so you can speak directly to local operators 24 hours a day. The security charge of $63.80 applies to all properties and/or occupiers of land located within the City of Canning. It is a fixed fee as part of your rates and is listed separately to clearly identify the cost to provide the service.

The 2023/24 minimum rate is $1,002.00.

Concessions apply to current rates, the emergency services levy and where applicable underground service charges. It does not apply to any service charges which must be paid in full by the date shown on your notice. Concessions are subject to capped amounts set by the State Government annually. The pensioner capping for the 2023/24 year is $750.00 for rates, there is no capping applicable for Emergency Service levy. Eligibility provisions for any person seeking to register for rates concessions are:

• Must be an owner AND occupier of an improved rateable property at 1 July or earlier.
• If a pensioner, either must receive a pension AND hold a current Pensioner Concession Card or State Concession Card OR hold both a Seniors Card issued by the Office of Seniors Interests AND a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.
• If a senior, hold a Seniors Card issued by the Office of Seniors Interests.

Seniors who meet the eligibility criteria are entitled to claim a rebate of up to 25%, subject to a maximum amount. Capping for the 2023/24 for the rates portion is $100.00, no capping is applicable on the Emergency service levy. The option of deferment is not available. If you are not registered as an eligible pensioner or senior, and feel that you may be eligible, please contact the Water Authority on 131 385. A pro-rata rebate may be available from the date of registration to pensioners and seniors who become eligible after 1 July. If your circumstances change- particularly with respect to your ownership or occupation of the property, or your eligibility as a pensioner or senior-you MUST give notice immediately to the Council so that the registration may be amended or cancelled.

• eRates: Register online to receive your rate notices by email.
• BPayView: Register with your banking provider. More information can be found on the BPAY View website.

The provision of waste services throughout the City of Canning is a legislated requirement under both the State Government's Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Act 2007, as well as the Local Government Act 1995.

All ratepayers are required to contribute towards to the management of the City’s current waste requirements, along with maintaining previous landfill sites as well as investing for future initiatives.

Providing a waste service is mandatory and the fee includes:

• Weekly and Fortnightly emptying of Household General Waste and Recycling Bins.
• Bi-Annual bulk Greenwaste and Hardwaste collection.
• Waste management in public areas (street bins, parks and reserves bins, dog bags).
• Illegal dumping collection and disposal.
• Access to the Randford Road Resource Recovery and Waste Transfer Station, including free access to the Recycling Facilities (Free E-Waste, Cardboard and Household hazardous chemical disposal) and up to 2 x Free General Waste Passes per year.
• On-demand White Goods and Mattress Collection (residential properties only).
• Community Waste Education.
• Strategic Waste Management and Licencing.
• Subsidised Recycling Programs (Compost Farms, Re-Use Market and Repair Lab).

Ratepayers can not 'opt out' of this service and its charge.

The waste fee not only relates to green and yellow bin collection but also:

• waste management in public areas (street bins, parks and reserves)
• illegal dumping
• waste transfer station facility
• maintaining previous landfill sites
• investing in future waste management strategy initiatives.

If the property is separately identifiable by Landgate, the City will rate and charge individually also.

The number of levies will equate to the number of sub-assessments for commercial and residential properties.

All property assessments are to be charged the compulsory waste levy in 2023/24 with the following exceptions:

• City non-leased properties
• Crown non-leased properties
• Strata storage units
• Vacant or Unimproved Land

This includes charging a single waste levy to sporting and community clubs including children's playgroups, shopping centres and properties with third party waste contractors.

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 virus the City of Canning are making a number of changes regarding paying rates. These include:

• All credit card charges have been removed due to COVID-19.
• The City is offering a direct debit payment option on a flexible monthly, fortnightly or weekly basis. The direct debit eases the burden that a lump sum or limited instalment payment plan can create.
• Allowing application to be made to defer payment of rates for a period of up to 6 months on the grounds of financial hardship.

Gross Rental Values (GRVs) do not drive rates, rather they are used to apportion the City's budget deficiency, to be made up through rating. Put simply, your GRV (determined by the Valuer General) is used to calculate your share of the total rates required to run the City.

How your rates are calculated is a three step process:

• First we determine the total rates required to run the City through our budgeting process.

We then calculate the cost of providing the City's services and capital works for the year, minus any non-rate revenue like fees and charges (i.e. Leisureplex entry fees) and any grants (i.e. State and Federal Government road project funding), to establish the total rates required for the year to run the City of Canning.

• The total rates required is then divided by the total value of every properties GRV in Canning to calculate the rate in the dollar amount charge.
• We then we multiply your property's Gross Rental Value by the City’s Rate in $ to calculate your rates payable for the year.

Learn more about the WA Local Government Association and Landgate.