Same problem in Waikanae, our rates have just gone up ridiculously this year (10%). Unfortunately these costs have to be recovered so our tenants are in for an increase in their rent. Its either that, or we will have to sell the house. I am not sure how the Kapiti council can justify it, these rates are excessive. When compared to our rates here in Aus there is no comparison and services are so much better and cheaper here.

I wrote to the Kapiti Council and they tried shifting the blame on Wellington Council.

I note the largest increase for your property is Districtwide General Urban Rating Areas, around 16.6%. The majority of Council’s work, and funding sought, will fall under that category so naturally the costs and funding increase will be higher in this factor. The increase/decrease in other factors (e.g. Wastewater Disposal at 5.9% or Districtwide Roading Rate at -7.8%) is less and therefore lowers the overall increase. I’ve attached the relevant pages from Council’s 2022/23 Annual Plan explaining the factors and decisions around the rates levy for this rating year.

 

Council also collects rates on behalf of Greater Wellington Regional Council and I note the increase in GWRC rates for your property this rating year was 15.68%. In general your regional rates fund public transport (trains and buses), river management and flood protection, possum and predator control, emergency management, environmental education and sustainability, land management, regional parks and forests. For more information about Greater Wellington Regional Council rates, visit their website at www.gw.govt.nz.