Rates Remission and Postponement Policies The policy will apply from the beginning of the rating year in which the application is unit/dwelling that is lived in is clearly identified for rating purposes (i.e. separately made although the Council may consider backdating past the rating year in which the rated), and that the full benefit of the postponement is passed on to the resident. application is made depending on the circumstances. Postponement is available only for ratepayers age 65 or over. In the case of the Any postponed rates will be postponed until: couple, at least one applicant must be of that age. • The death of the ratepayer[s]; or Applicants must have at least one “decision facilitation” interview with a decision The ratepayer[s] ceases to be the owner or occupier of the rating unit; facilitator engaged by Council, to ensure that independent advice has been provided • or on the implications of the postponement offer. • The ratepayer[s] ceases to use the property as his/her residence; or The application will require any mortgagee’s consents and a decision facilitator • A date determined by the Council in any particular case. completion certificate before a formal postponement offer is made by Council. At any time, the applicant may elect to postpone the payment of a lesser sum than that Rates may be postponed until: which they would be entitled to have postponed pursuant to this Policy by paying the postponed rates or any part thereof. The death of the ratepayer(s) (the Council will allow up to 12 months for any • resolution of estate or trust affairs required to enable repayment); or Application The ratepayer(s) ceases to be the owner of the rating unit; or • Postponed rates will be registered as a Statutory Land Charge on the rating unit’s title. • The rating unit ceases to be the principal place of residence of the ratepayer(s) Applications for rate postponements shall be considered by the Council or its – this means that if the ratepayer(s) moves out of the home into residential delegated officer[s]. care, technically the postponed rates become due and payable. In practice, if the council is satisfied that the principal reason for moving out is to go into care, Residential Ratepayers aged 65 and over the postponement will remain in place. Objective of the Policy The Council will offer full postponement unless testing the expected outcome through the council’s actuarial model suggests that equity on expected repayment (the death of To offer ratepayers aged 65 years and over a facility to unlock the equity in their the applicant or the survivor of joint applicants) would be less than 20%. If that is the residential property by postponing all or part of their rates to a future date, at no cost or case, then postponement entitlement will be based on the maximum proportion risk to Council. projected to leave a minimum of 20% equity available at the end of the postponement period. Conditions and Criteria All applications must be on the prescribed form. The property must be kept insured to its full value and evidence of this produced annually. Rates postponement is available on properties that are occupied by the ratepayer Postponed rates and any part thereof may be paid at any time. Applicants may elect applicant(s) as their principal place of residence. Holiday homes are not eligible. to postpone a lesser amount than the maximum they would be entitled to under the Property that is Maori freehold land is not eligible for postponement as councils do not council’s policy. have adequate rights to recover postponed or overdue rates on Maori freehold land. If accrued rates and charges reach 80% of the value of the property, the Council will Postponement is available to applicant(s) who are the legal owners of their property or not postpone any further rates but instead require that all further rates are paid as they who live in a property owned by a family trust. Units in retirement villages held under fall due. Accrued rates and charges will remain payable only on an event of licences to occupy and any other arrangement where the applicant is not the repayment (eg; death, sale) and will continue to accrue interest and other annual registered owner are only eligible for postponement if the amount of the rates for the charges. 2018-2028 Long Term Plan Page 325