Yarra Ranges coronavirus: Rates payments frozen after rise in financial hardship agreements

If COVID has caused you to be seriously cash-strapped, you’re not alone. Yarra Ranges ratepayers needing financial help has soared since lockdown. Here’s how you can get help.

Yarra Ranges Council is offering to freeze rates payments for those who need help during COVID. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

More than 1000 ratepayers in the Yarra Ranges have applied to have their rates frozen – and that number is expected to soar.

With Victoria’s coronavirus restrictions causing many businesses and residents financial stress, the council has reported a 60 per cent rise in those people approved for the financial hardship agreement.

This means those who have taken up the offer will have rates and charges deferred for a year without being penalised through interest or legal action.

And with rates bills for 2020-21 financial year making their way to residents in the mail, Yarra Ranges corporate services director Andrew Hilson said he expects there to be more people applying for the freeze.

“At the same time last year there were 616,” Mr Hilson said.

“We expect that this number will increase significantly once residents start receiving their 2020-21 rates notices after September 7.”

He said there had been a large increase in customers applying for rates relief since the State of Emergency was first announced earlier this year.

“We know that restrictions have had a significant impact on local businesses and household finances this year” Mr Hilson said.

“To assist our community members, council adopted an addendum to its hardship policy, allowing ratepayers for all rateable properties to apply for financial hardship agreements.”

He said one of the major rates relief measures the council offered was applying a credit to any general rate increases for 2020-21.

“Meaning that no ratepayer will pay more for this year’s rates,” Mr Hilson said.

“Some ratepayers will find this year’s rate bill to be lower than the last, depending on their valuation.”

He said customers needing rates relief can find details about how to get help on their rates notice.

Mr Hilson encouraged anyone needing help to contact 1300 368 333 or to visit the website.