Yarra Valley residents overcharged on rate notices after Valuer-General error
A STAGGERING 96 per cent of ratepayers in the Yarra Ranges have been slugged more than $620,000 in extra rates after a Valuer General Victoria blunder.
Outer East
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A STAGGERING 96 per cent of ratepayers in the Yarra Ranges have been slugged more than $620,000 in extra rates after a Valuer General Victoria blunder.
But the mass overcharging may be much more widespread — it is understood the error has affected an unknown number of other councils throughout Victoria.
About 63,000 Yarra Ranges property owners – 96 per cent of ratepayers – have been individually billed on average an extra $9 each, with some being stung by up to $20.
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Yarra Ranges acting corporate services director Jennifer Bednar said there had been a “minor” error in the calculation of rates after two different sets of data were sent to the council.
Ms Bednar said when council officers calculated the rate in the dollar, the incorrect data used pushed the rates higher than the capped 2.25 to 2.87 per cent rise.
“When applying the 2018-19 rates to properties in early July, council officers discovered the final valuation data provided by the Valuer General Victoria was around 0.62 per cent higher than the initial data (they provided),” Ms Bednar said.
She said the average overcharge to most ratepayers was $9, and property valuations on rates notices were correct.
Ms Bednar said the council had alerted the Essential Services Commission when it discovered the error in July.
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She said once the council had passed its revised budget in December, all affected residents would be notified of discrepancies by letter or email and would either be credited on their next rates installment or could request a refund.
Mayor Len Cox said the council was disappointed the discrepancy had happened and was keen to rectify the problem.
The council will send its revised budget for 2018-19 to Tuesday’s public meeting and if passed, residents will have 28 days to send in a submission.
Essential Services Commission spokeswoman Michelle Bryne said an outcome on which council were and were not compliant had not been finalised yet but would be part of a report published in December.
“We can’t comment on any particular councils,” Ms Bryne said.
“Some councils have identified possible issues with noncompliance have taken steps to rectify and will be part of what we’re working on with the report.”
Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader has contacted the Valuer General Victoria for comment.
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