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To make it as easy as possible to pay your rates, the City of Swan offers several different payment options. You can pay your annual rates in full, by instalments, by direct debit, or a self-managed payment plan.
Learn the diverse ways to pay your rates below.
Plans or instalments
If you're unable to pay your rates in full, you may want to consider the following options.
Extreme financial hardship
If you are experiencing genuine financial hardship due to exceptional circumstances you may be eligible to apply for assistance.
At the Ordinary Council Meeting on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Council adopted a new POL-C-198 Financial Hardship Policy to strengthen the City’s commitment to help vulnerable ratepayers.
Complete our financial hardship application form and send it to swan@swan.wa.gov.au.
Late payments
A five per cent per annum penalty interest charge accrues daily on all overdue rates and specified area rates.
Emergency service levy (ESL) penalty interest will be accruing daily at eleven per cent per annum on all overdue ESL charges as determined by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
Recovery of Rates
If the amount shown as payable in respect of rates and charges is not paid in full, or the first instalment is not paid by the due date, the full amount will become overdue and may be recovered by court action (general procedure claim, which if ignored, may be followed by a Property Seizure and Sale Order).
If a General Procedure Claim is issued against you, all legal fees incurred will be added to your property's outstanding balance, the default is registered by the Magistrates Court and is available to all credit reporting agencies within Australia where the details are shown for a period up to five years.
See the Rates Legal Recovery Steps and Rates Legal Recovery Guidelines for more information.
Change of address
If you've changed your address or you're about to, please advise the City in writing or via our online change of address form.
Authority to act
If you want to nominate an individual/s to have authority to act on your behalf, please submit the Authority to Act Form.
Refund request
Is your rates account in credit and you'd like a refund? Please complete a refund request form.