How to reduce your Rates bill

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By Dwain Duxson

How to reduce your Rates bill - We spoke about the cost of rates recently and how they seem to be rising year on year to a point where they are getting out of control and becoming a major expense.

Pat, who put this together for me, said if you follow this formula, you will give yourself a very good chance of a rate reduction. 

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Follow this formula - Council Rate Objections:

• Object in writing to the Council Rates officer before the deadline to objections and ask for written confirmation of your objection.
• State your reason for objection in general terms, i.e. in my case, Property is on 6 titles, and increases ranged from 12% to 40%. State the previous year's rates versus current rates in your comparison.
• When they reply, ensure that sales comparisons are 'like for like'. In my case, they were using sales figures of smaller acreages with houses and improvements versus Farm Land.
• Be prepared to state your case with facts and even ask for a Farm inspection.
• Recently, I reduced my rateable value significantly with a rate reduction of just over $6000. Reply to dwaind@farmtender.com.au

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