My property is located in an area with poor services. Why do I have to pay the same overall percentage charge of rates as areas with better services?

Rates are now part of general Government revenue and a source of funding for public services such as police, fire services, education, health and hygiene which everyone has access to in one way or another. If local services are poor, this may be reflected in the rents and hence the rateable value. Reductions in rates are made in two cases:

1. where there is no Government water supply, in which case the rates payable will be reduced by 15%; and
2. where the Government water supply is unfiltered, in which case the reduction in rates payable will be 7.5%.