Council provides rates relief to eligible job seekers

Published on 23 June 2020

Frankston City Council is offering eligible job seekers who own and occupy their home, a one-off, $200 rates relief waiver.

Applications for the waiver will open online on 1 July and close on 30 September. It will be available to one person from each owner-occupier household, who is receiving Centrelink Job Seeker payments at the time they lodge their application.

The waiver of $200 will be applied to each successful applicant’s first instalment for the 2020-21 financial year.

Frankston City Mayor, Sandra Mayer said some of the city’s home owners had lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19 and needed extra support.

“We understand that keeping household bills at bay is incredibly hard at the moment and we hope this rates waiver will take some of the pressure off.

“Since March we have also suspended penalty interest and are not pursuing new legal action regarding rates; this will be reviewed at the end of September.”

The Mayor encouraged ratepayers who were not eligible for the rates relief waiver, to contact Council if they were having trouble paying on time.

“Your rates are still due on the date stated on your notice but if you are ineligible for the waiver and struggling to pay on time, we encourage you to make regular, smaller payments by applying for an Arrangement to Pay,” the Mayor said.

“We want to help our ratepayers through this tough time so don’t suffer in silence; apply online or give us a call so we can organise a payment schedule which suits your budget.”

For more information about the changes to Council’s rates service or to apply for a rates waiver, visit: frankston.vic.gov.au/Your_Council/Rates/Rates_Relief or phone: 1300 322 322.