Rating Information

Paying Rates

Pay Online

We now accept online payments for rates. The link takes you to a secure payment site with our payment partner Westpac NZ Limited. You do not need to be a Westpac customer to use this payment method.

Pay at any of our Service Centres by:

• Cash
• EFTPOS
• Credit Card.

Telephone or Internet Banking

Please use your valuation reference number (10/12 digit number top right-hand side of your invoice) as the customer number when you set up your bill payment. Our bank account details are:

Bank: Westpac
Account Number: 03-1587-0050000-00

Direct Debit or Rates Easypay

You can download our printable EasyPay form [PDF, 689 KB] and send the completed form in to us, or fill in our online EasyPay form.

Weekly or Fortnightly

Weekly or Fortnightly payments are taken out every Friday.

Monthly or Quarterly

Monthly payments are taken out on the 20^th of the month, or if the 20^th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the first business day following. Quarterly payments are taken out on the normal date due (see below). All payments for the year ahead will be advised in writing in advance, at least 10 days before the first payment is due and at least 30 days before any change is made. You will still get a copy of your rates demand, for your information.

There is no extra cost to you for this service as we pay the transaction fees. If you are selling your property you will need to contact us to cancel the direct debit authority.

If you have more than one property, please make sure you include the valuation numbers for each of the properties on the form.

Due dates and periods

Rates are payable by four quarterly instalments during the financial year which runs from 1^st July to 30^th June.

The payment dates for each instalment from 1 July each year are shown below. The 'Due Date' is the last day before a 5% additional charge is added. This will be the date that quarterly direct debits are activated.
If the 15th falls on a Saturday or Sunday payments are due on the first business day following.

When properties are sold

If you have sold your property, you are liable for the rates and charges up to and including the date of settlement. Your solicitor will divide up the rates for you in your settlement statement.

If your property has water metering, you or your solicitor will need to arrange for a final water meter reading so that your water usage can also be calculated and paid up to the date of settlement.

If you receive a rate invoice for a property you no longer own, this means that the Council has not received the change of ownership. You will need to contact your solicitor so that a copy of this notice can be sent out to us. While your name remains on the rating roll you are liable for any unpaid rates.

If your rates are in credit at the time of the sale, any overpayment will be refunded to you.

Registering a change to the owner's name

If the change is due to marriage then a copy of marriage certificate, or any other form of your new identification, such as a Drivers Licence or Passport, should be forwarded to the rates section.

If the change is due to name change by deed poll, or person being added or deleted, or change of company etc., then a copy of the Certificate of Title, or any other relevant documentation showing the new owners names, needs to be forwarded to the rates section.

Certificates of Title can be obtained from:

Land Registry Office
195 Hereford St
CHRISTCHURCH

For enquiries or problems please email: contactus@selwyn.govt.nz