Payment due dates by area

When will I receive my ARC regional rates bill?

Regional rates bills are sent to property owners in different areas of the region at different times between 21July and 1 September 2008. We will only send one bill a year to each property owner. Bills will be sent according to the following area schedule:

Area 1

All North Shore properties
All Rodney properties

Bills sent 21 July. Discount date 11 August. Payment due 1 September.

Area 2

All Manukau properties
All Waitakere properties

Bills sent 4 August. Discount date 25 August. Payment due 15 September.

Area 3

All Papakura properties
All properties in Franklin District (within ARC boundaries)
All properties in Auckland city, with the exception of those in Auckland Central, Freemans Bay, Grafton, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, Newmarket, Newton,Parnell, Point Chevalier, Ponsonby and Westmere.

Bills sent 18 August. Discount date 8 September. Payment due 29 September.

Area 4

All remaining properties in Auckland city (Auckland Central, Freemans Bay, Grafton, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, Newmarket, Newton, Parnell, Point Chevalier, Ponsonby and Westmere).

Bills sent 1 September. Discount date 22 September. Payment due 13 October.

How long do I have to pay?

You have six weeks from the date on your rates assessment/invoice to pay your regional rates.
The due date will be marked clearly on the invoice you receive.
If you are paying the full amount, you must pay by the due date.
If you want to spread payments through the year (in monthly or fortnightly payments), direct debit or automatic payment must be set up prior to the due date on the rates assessment/invoice.

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Will there be a discount for early payment?

Yes - the ARC offers a 2.5% discount if payment is made in full, three weeks or more before the due date on the rates assessment/invoice. The discount date for payment and the discount amount are clearly marked on the rates assessment/invoice. If you make payment after the discount date, you will have to pay the full amount of rates assessed.

Will there be a penalty for late payment?

Yes - sections 57 and 58 of the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 empower the council to impose penalties on unpaid rates. Any part of the amount due not paid by the due date may incur a 10% penalty the next day.

What happens to me if I can't pay?

We recognise that your financial situation may make it difficult for you to pay your rates on time by our available payment options. If you are unable to pay due to financial hardship, you may be eligible for a postponement of rates.

Alternatively we may be able to make an alternative arrangement with you to pay your rates over time. If you require an alternative payment arrangement, you can contact our Rates Information Line on the telephone number below.

You should do this before the due date on your rates assessment/invoice to avoid a late payment penalty.

What happens to me if I don't pay?

If the bill and the penalties remain outstanding at the start of the next financial year (which is 1 July 2009), then an additional 10% penalty will be applied to all outstanding debts. A further 10% penalty on all outstanding debts may then be applied every six months after that.

The ARC is legislatively empowered to use legal means to collect outstanding debt. Rates are a debt against a property, so we can, if necessary; recover outstanding rates debt from the property's mortgagee (bank). We are also empowered to take other legal action to recover the debt.

We consider legal action of any kind to be a last resort. We will notify you of your outstanding debt and make every attempt to enable you to pay you regional rates, before taking any of these steps. However, we are required to collect outstanding rates and will take action against those who persistently refuse to pay.

Download a printable fact sheet of this information here

Rates remissions and postponements information

Rates hardship or difficulty paying options