Find out how your rates bill has changed this year.

COVID-19 rates update

On 2 April 2020 the Council agreed to a package of measures to help alleviate financial stress faced by many businesses and households in our city as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The package includes offering a rates payment extension of up to six months for eligible ratepayers who are experiencing financial hardship because of the pandemic, and a three month rent holiday for some of the Council's commercial tenants.

You can read more on Newsline or find out more about eligibility and how to apply for a rates payment extension.

Unite Against Covid-19, visit covid19.govt.nz

Read more

In 2019/2020 the Council set rates to collect $520.9 million (excluding GST).

This year rates rose on average 4.79% for existing ratepayers. A typical ratepayer owning an average size house (with a rating value of $500,229) will pay $53 per week in rates (including GST).

The actual increase in rates for individual properties varies depending on factors such as:

  • a property’s rating value
  • whether it is classed as residential, business, or remote rural.

We also collect rates on behalf of Environment Canterbury(external link), which sets its own rates. They are not included in these figures but will appear on your rates invoice.

The rates for 2019/2020 are shown in the table below. There are 15 separate rates. A ratepayer typically pays some but not all of these. The rules for each rate are set out in the Council's Funding Impact Statement. As an illustration, we have shown the amount that would typically be paid for each rate for an average house with a capital value (CV) of $500,229.

Rate name Rate Units

Rate paid for an average house ($, incl GST)
General Rate: Standard 0.307431  cents per $ CV  1,537.86
General Rate: Business  0.521710 cents per $ CV 0 
General Rate: Remote Rural 0.230573  cents per $ CV 0 
Uniform Annual General Charge 130.00  $ per SUIP*  130.00
Water Connected  0.060783  cents per $ CV 304.05 
Water not Connected  0.030392  cents per $ CV 0 
Land Drainage   0.040430 cents per $ CV 202.24 
Sewerage  0.080000  cents per $ CV 400.18 
Waste Minimisation  168.85  $ per SUIP* 168.85 
Waste Minimisation (Part)  126.63  $ per SUIP* 0 
Restricted Water Supply  205.00  $ per SLOS** 0 
Fire Connections  111.75  $ per connection 0 
Active Travel  20.00  $ per SUIP* 20.00 
Heritage (Cathedral)  6.52  $ per SUIP* 6.52 
Akaroa Health Centre  129.07  $ per SUIP* 0 
 TOTAL     2,769.71 

* SUIP means a Separately Used or Inhabited Part of a rating unit

** The restricted water supply rate is paid for each Standard Level of Service (SLOS) received by a rating unit

We show below some examples of how rates vary depending on capital values. Examples are shown for three kinds of property: a standard, business and remote rural property.

Standard

We assume this ratepayer pays the following rates: General Standard, Uniform Annual General Charge, Water Connected, Land Drainage, Sewerage, Waste Minimisation, Active Travel, Heritage (Cathedral).

Capital value $ 2019/2020 rates ($, incl GST)
200,000 1,303
400,000 2,280
500,000 2,769
500,229 (average home) 2,770
600,000 3,257
700,000 3,746
800,000 4,235
1,000,000 5,212
1,500,000 7,655

Business

We assume this ratepayer pays the following rates: General Business, Uniform Annual General Charge, Water Connected, Land Drainage, Sewerage, Waste Minimisation, Active Travel, Heritage (Cathedral).

Capital value $ 2019/2020 rates ($ incl GST)
200,000 1,731
400,000 3,137
600,000 4,543
800,000 5,949
1,000,000 7,355
1,500,000 10,869
1,647,520 (average business) 11,906
2,000,000 14,384
5,000,000 35,472

Remote rural

We assume this ratepayer pays the following rates: General Remote Rural, Uniform Annual General Charge, Land Drainage, Waste Minimisation (Part), Active Travel, Heritage (Cathedral).

Capital value $ 2019/2020 rates ($, incl GST)
200,000 825
400,000 1,367
600,000 1,909
800,000 2,451
952,237 (average farm) 2,864
1,000,000 2,993
2,000,000 5,703
3,000,000 8,413