Manage Your Rates

Complete the request form if you would like to update the postal address for your rates, water and/or sundry debtors notices or make amendments to the contact details for a property you own.

Completing the request does not change the name that is held on the Certificate of Title. Please contact the NSW Land Registry Service to officially change the property ownership details.

Please note: All change of address or change of contact detail requests must be submitted to Council in writing. Changing your details for your Online Services Portal account does not constitute as a submission of this request.

1. Gather your Information

If there is more than one owner of the property you will need to have the details (name, contact number, address and email) of all subsequent owners to complete the request.

If there are more than two owners against the property, then Council will contact you for additional information.

You will need to indicate if you would like to update the details for:

• Rates & Water
• Rates Only
• Sundry Debtors; or
• Water Only.

If the property is a rental and you wish to have your notice/s mailed to the managing agent then you will need the agent’s name, contact number, postal address and email address. If applicable, you can also submit a copy of the Managing Agent’s Authority with your request.

If the managing agent is completing the request on behalf of the owner/s, then both the owner/s and agent details will need to be included in the request.

2. Complete the Request 

By completing the Change of Address PDF Form(PDF, 674KB)

Please return the PDF form in person to Council's main admin building or via email to E council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

3. What’s Next?

You will receive an email notification once your request has been actioned. 

Each property falls into one of four categories for rating purposes, dependent on the actual use of the property.

These categories are:

• Residential
• Farmland
• Mining; and
• Business.

You can find out more about these categories by visiting - https://www.singleton.nsw.gov.au/Live/Residents/Rates/Rate-Categories

If you believe your current category does not reflect the actual use of the property, then you can complete a Change in Category of Land Form and propose a different category.

Alternatively, if the circumstances of your land changes so as to cause it to change from one category to another then the ratepayer must advise Council within 30 days.

If your request involves the Business category, then please contact our Planning Department prior to submission to determine if a Change of Use request must be submitted prior to completing the Change in Category of Land Form. 

1. Gather your Information

To complete this form, you will need to know which category of land your property currently falls into. If you are not sure which category of land your property currently falls into then please give Council a call on T 02 6578 7290.

You will need to propose a new category and provide details of the present use of the land which support the new category you are proposing.

You will also need to provide reasons/evidence as to why the proposed category is more appropriate than the current category.

2. Complete the Request 

By completing the Change in Category of Land PDF Form(PDF, 1MB)

Please return the PDF form in person to Council's main admin building or via email to E council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

3. What’s Next?

You will be contacted by Council with the outcome once your application has been assessed.

If you would like to set up a new direct debit arrangement or amend an existing arrangement for your rates, water or sundry debtors, then you can complete the Direct Debit Request Form.

If you wish to cancel a current direct debit arrangement or defer a payment, then you will need to complete the Application to Cancel Direct Debit Form.

A separate form must be completed for each property.

1. Gather your Information

Firstly, you will need to have your Property Assessment Number handy to complete the form. This can be found on your rates or water notice.

You will need to enter your bank account details, including the type of account, name of financial institution, address of financial institution, bank account name, account number and BSB (six digits).

For rates, you will need to choose one of the debit frequencies below:

• Weekly (debited each Friday)
• Fortnightly (debited every second Friday as per Council’s schedule)
• Monthly (debited on the last Friday of the month or next business day if Friday falls on a public holiday)
• Quarterly (debited on the due date displayed on the instalment notice); or
• Annually (debited on the due date displayed on the instalment notice).

Quarterly payments will be the amount as indicated on the instalment notice including any interest or arrears.

For water, the options for debit frequency are:

• Weekly (debited each Friday)
• Fortnightly (debited every second Friday as per Council’s schedule)
• Monthly (debited on the last Friday of the month or next business day if Friday falls on a public holiday); or
• Tri Annual Water Account Payment.

For sundry debtors, the options for debit frequency are:

• Weekly (debited each Friday)
• Fortnightly (debited every second Friday as per Council's schedule); or
• Monthly (debited on the last Friday of the month or next business day if Friday falls on a public holiday)

You will also need to provide the amount you would like debited and the first payment date.

For direct debit cancellations, you will need to specify which notice/s you would like to cancel the direct debit for and provide an effective from date.

2. Complete the Request

Please ensure that the request is submitted a minimum of two business days prior to the payment due date or debit frequency day.

Using the Direct Debit Request PDF Form(PDF, 987KB)

Using the Cancel or Defer Direct Debit PDF Form(PDF, 752KB)

Please return the PDF form in person to Council's main admin building or via email to E council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

3. What’s Next?

You will receive an email notification once your request has been actioned. 

The Farmland Rating applies to all properties which satisfy the farmland definition.

To find out more about Rates Categories visit - Rate Categories | Singleton Council

1. Gather your Information

 To complete the Farmland Rating Form, you will first need to have your Property Assessment Number which can be found on your rates or water notice.

If applicable, you will also need to provide:

• The total area of the property
• Information on the occupation of any dwelling/s on the property
• Details of any other commercial businesses being conducted on the land
• Primary producer details
• ABN number
• PIC number
• Grazing Cattle details, including confirmation of registration details (either as a dairy farm having a milk quota or as a stud breeding cattle)
• Carrying capacity of stock on the property, including maximum carrying capacity of stock, total number of stock currently on property, total number of stock purchased, sold and agisted in last 12 months and details on supplementary feeding
• Viticulture, including growing of grape vines area of cultivation, annual production, restaurant capacity, tourist accommodation capacity
• Crop information, including type of crop, area under cultivation or number of vines, quantity sold in last 12 months and/or quantity used on the property.
• Forestry, including hardwood and pine plantations.
• Livestock (other than cattle) details – livestock type, number (including purchased or sold in the last 12 months)
• Other activities - for example beekeeping and aquaculture
• Drought impacts

You will also need to attach any supporting documentation.

2. Complete the Request 

Using the Farmland Rating PDF Form(PDF, 804KB)

Please return the PDF form in person to Council's main admin building or via email to E council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

3. What’s Next?

Council will be in contact with an outcome once it has been assessed. 

Any Ratepayer suffering hardship may propose an arrangement to Council. Council is able to support those in hardship in many ways. 

1. Gather your Information

Please review Council's Hardship Policy(PDF, 582KB) to determine your eligibility before proceeding with a request.

 You will need to know your Property Assessment Number which can be found on your rates or water notice.

You will need to provide an explanation of what has caused the financial hardship being experienced.

Additionally, you will need to provide details of your household’s sources of income, current bank, credit union or building society account balances and expenditure figures.

You will also need to complete and submit a Statutory Declaration as part of the request.

Download Statutory Declaration(DOC, 43KB)

2. Complete the Request 

By completing the Application for Hardship Relief PDF Form(PDF, 182KB)

Please return the PDF form, any supporting documentation and statutory declaration in person to the main admin building or via email to E council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

3. What’s Next?

You will be notified by Council of the outcome once it has been assessed. 

If you are eligible you can apply for a rebate on your rates account, as well as annual water charges. 

Council will determine your eligibility to receive a rebate of up to $250 on your rates account. You may also be eligible to receive up to $87.50 on your annual water charges and up to $87.50 off your annual sewerage charges.

Eligibility:

• Holders of the PCC (Pensioner Concession Card)
• Holders of a gold card embossed with ‘TPI’ (Totally Permanently Incapacitated)
• Holders of a gold card embossed with ‘EDA’ (Extreme Disablement Adjustment)
• War widow or widower or wholly dependent partner entitled to the Pensioner Concession Card*.

*If you are a war widow or widower or wholly dependent partner but do not have a Pensioner Concession Card, you should contact the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) to test your eligibility for the DVA income support supplement. Eligibility is subject to an income and assets test. Holders of cards other than those listed above are not eligible for the concession. For assistance from the DVA call 133 254.

1. Gather your Information

If joint owners are eligible for a pensioner concession a separate form will need to be completed by each owner to receive the maximum rebate, otherwise only a partial rebate will be granted.

In addition to providing your personal details, you will need to provide the following information as part of your application:

• Council Account / Assessment Number
• Concession Card Type
• Concession Card Number 
• Date of Grant of Concession Card
• Date from which you began residing at the property
• Declare if you have claimed a pensioner rebate for any other property in the last 12 months

You will need to carefully read the conditions stated on the application. 

2. Complete the Request

By completing the Application for Council Pensioner Concession Rates Rebate Form(PDF, 2MB)

Please return the PDF form in person to Council's main admin building or via email to E council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

3. What’s Next?

You will be contacted by Council with the outcome once your application has been assessed.

You will need to complete this form if you would like to dispute a meter reading, query an estimate reading or query a meter reading as a result of a water leak.

1. Gather your Information

Before submitting a request, please review Section 5.2 of Council's Water Supply Services Policy.

Please also visit Water Leaks | Singleton Council for further reading.

 You will need to know your Property Assessment Number which can be found on your rates or water notice.

  If the query of a meter reading relates to a water leak, then evidence of the leak will be required. This includes:

• When the leak was first noticed
• The exact or suspected location of the leak
• The date the leak was repaired; and
• Any other additional facts or information that may be helpful

Supporting evidence must also be attached to the form, including tax invoices, plumber's report and signed statutory declaration/s.

Download Statutory Declaration(DOC, 43KB)

2. Complete the Request 

 By completing the Water Consumption Adjustment PDF Form(PDF, 201KB)

Please return the PDF form, supporting documents and statutory declaration/s in person to the main admin building or via email to E council@singleton.nsw.gov.au

3. What’s Next? 

You will be contacted by Council with an outcome once your request has been assessed.