As rates are secured against the land, Council is legally unable to reduce or waive the value of rates. Under the legislation, Council can waive interest or late fees when customers enter into payment arrangements.

Council encourages all ratepayers to pay their charges on time.

If you are experiencing financial difficulties in paying your rates, Council may be able to assist. Visit our Hardship Assistance page for further information. 

Council is committed to assisting customers who are experiencing financial hardship. We can offer payment arrangements such as interest free extensions and interest free payment plans to ease the burden.

To request a payment arrangement, please submit a Hardship Assistance Payment Arrangement Form available from our Hardship Assistance page before the due date of the rate payment.
 

You can request a review of rates charges (including interest or legal) if you believe an error caused by Council contributed to the charges. Requests due to oversight, being unaware or not receiving the rates notices will result in your request being unsuccessful.

Check the following before submitting your dispute.

• Have you made payments on time? Visit our Late Payments page.
• Have you advised Council of your current postal address? Update your address here or see above for how to receive your rates notice online. It is the owner's responsibility to ensure Council has the correct address for the service of the rates notice. 

All disputes must be submitted in writing with documentation attached to support your claims that an error caused by Council contributed to the charges.

Please email: mail@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au

Yes, rates are separate from strata or owner corporation (body corporate) fees. Council rates must be paid directly to Council. To pay your Council Rates and Charges, visit Pay my rates.

There are three types of charges that may be listed on your Rates and Charges Notice.

Ordinary Rates
Ordinary rates (also referred to as Rates) are used to provide essential services such as the road network, street lighting, street cleaning, footpaths, parks, sport and recreation facilities, environmental planning and conservation, city rangers, pest control, libraries, town planning and building control, community services, and much more.

Council is legally obliged to determine and charge an ordinary rate for each year on all rateable land in its area. Ordinary rates are made up of a variable rate based on the land value of individual properties in proportion to the total value of all land in the Local Government Area.

The type of Ordinary Rate depends on the rating category (or sub-category) applied to your property.

Visit Council's page on How rates are calculated and spent for more information. 

Domestic Waste Management Charge 
The Local Government Act 1993 requires councils to levy an annual charge for domestic waste management services on all parcels of rateable residential land for which the service is available, whether or not it is actually used. All property owners should contribute to the current and future provision of waste services. Charges for this service include the supply of waste, recycling and green waste collection bins, collection and disposal costs. Also included in this annual charge are other costs such as the bi-annual household clean-up kerbside collection service and education programs conducted by Council. Vacant residential land is charged a vacant land charge. These charges are applied on a cost recovery basis.

Council levies other charges for additional services such as additional waste collection bins.

Stormwater Management Charge
This contributes to the cost of providing new or additional stormwater services across the local area. These activities may include:

• stormwater pollution prevention,

• flood mitigation,

• rainwater and stormwater harvesting,

• community education programs and stormwater drainage systems operations and maintenance.

The maximum amount that a council can charge is $25 for an average residential block, and the charge can only be levied on properties where council provides a stormwater management service.​

The yearly charge for residential landowners is $25 while strata unit owners pay $12.50.

Business land owners pay $25 for each 350sqm or part of 350sqm, up to a maximum of $1,500. Business strata units pay $5 or $25 per 350sqm (or part thereof) of land area that would apply to the land subject to the strata scheme divided on a pro-rata basis between the lots, not less that $5 for any individual lot.

Certain land may be exempt from the charge, such as Crown land, rural land, vacant land containing no impervious surfaces, and land belonging to charities and public benevolent institutions.