RATES

INCOME & PROPERTY VALUATION

The department is responsible for ensuring that all rates are billed correctly and sent to the correct ratepayers at the beginning of every financial year and if any ratepayers default the department is responsible for ensuring that they are followed up as per the dictates of the rating act of 1995.

Differential rating

Rates differ according to the following designations:

RATES CATEGORY	TARIFF
Residential	%
Improvement	0.4
Land Development	0.4
land Vacant	0.8
Government	%
Improvement	5.0
Land Development	5.0
land Vacant	5.0
Commercial Two	%
Improvement	0.8
Land Development	0.8
land Vacant	0.9
Agriculture	%
Improvement	0.1
Active agriculture	0.2
land Vacant	0.6

The Rating Act states that an independent valuer be approved by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development to evaluate the properties.
Rates are charged based on the value of immovable property.

A property owner may object against the value given to his property to the Valuation Court by filling in an objection Form as soon as they receive the valuation notice from The Board.
The Valuation Court deals strictly with discrepancies in property values and not rates.
Complaints pertaining to rates are attended to by the Board.

RATES PAYMENT BY APPROVED INSTALLMENT ARRANGEMENT PLAN

This is another method approved by the Board to pay rates. It can be paid monthly, quarterly, half yearly and or annually. The advantages of this method are:

Balance due shall not attract interest at 15% per annum which is charged for late payment
Fixed and agreed amount remain consistent throughout the financial year
It can be spread over the twelve months period of the financial year making it affordable to the rate payer