Thursday 1 November, 2012

It's now easier to pay your Tamworth Regional Council rates following the introduction of a dedicated payment reference number for each customer.

More than 22,000 Tamworth Regional Council rates second instalment notices are arriving in local letterboxes this week and are the first to use the new dedicated payment reference number.

In the past, the reference payment number would change for each rates notice or water notice issued but from November each customer will have their own number which will not change.

'Ratepayers have been asking for this change to our billing system - it will make electronic payments more streamlined because our customers will not have to change their reference payment number each time they pay a bill,' said Tamworth Regional Council Financial Services Manager, Rick Sanderson.

'They will have one customer reference number which will be theirs alone.' 

At this stage the fixed payment reference number is for Tamworth Regional Council rates only, but it is expected it will soon be available for water rates.

This week more than 2900 ratepayers across the region who did not pay the first instalment of their 2012/2013 rates, which was due on August 31, will receive a reminder notice in the mail.

Any ratepayers who have made special arrangements with Council for the payment of rates are not sent reminder notices provided they continue to make the scheduled payments.

'Any ratepayer having difficulty paying should call Council on 1300 733 625 and ask to discuss entering a special arrangement to pay their rates,' said Mr Sanderson.

'Council has a Ratepayers Hardship Policy which can be accessed confidentially by anyone experiencing financial hardship.' 

You can apply for Hardship Rate Relief using the application form.

The amount of arrears currently owing to Council for rates is about $5 million.