How rates remissions work
You may be eligible for a rates remission if your building is unable to be occupied during strengthening work or it is no longer earthquake prone.
Apply for a rates remission
If your building is empty during strengthening work
If part of your building is unable to be occupied because it is not fit for purpose while it is being strengthened, you can apply for rates remission.
This reduction in rates only applies to the Wellington City Council Commercial Sector Targeted, Downtown Targeted rates for commercial buildings and the Base Sector Targeted rate for residential buildings.
Your building does not need to be an earthquake-prone building to be eligible for this incentive. Apply for 1 year and, if applicable after that, you must reapply before 1 July.
To receive this incentive:
- you must be carrying out strengthening work
- an identifiable part of your building cannot be occupied, in any way, while it’s being strengthened
- the only people in your building must be those doing the earthquake strengthening work and any associated construction work
- your property must not be capable of generating revenue while the strengthening work is being done, and
- we must receive your application before 30 June to be eligible for the next rating year. For example, apply before 30 June 2020 for a rates remission starting 1 July 2020.
We reserve the right to inspect your property occasionally during the remission period to ensure these conditions are being met.
Rates remissions
If your building is no longer earthquake-prone
If you have completed seismic work to your building, and it is no longer earthquake-prone, you can apply for a rates remission for a period of 3 years. This reduction in rates only applies to Wellington City Council rates.
If your building:
- is on the District Plan Heritage List then the rates remission period is 5 years
- is a Category 2 building on the Heritage New Zealand List then the rates remission period is 8 years, or
- is a Category 1 building on the New Zealand Heritage List then the rates remission period is 10 years.
If your building was strengthened
If the property valuation increases because of strengthening work, the remission is calculated as follows:
(final improvement value $ per metres squared) - (initial improvement value $ per metres squared) x (initial floor area of earthquake prone building)
No remissions are available if there is no property valuation increase because of earthquake strengthening work.
You must still pay the average annual rates increase in each rating year as well as the previous rates amount payable before strengthening work was done.
If your building was demolished
The remission is calculated as follows:
10% of the rates payable on your property for the 3 years after we’ve accepted your remission application.
To receive this incentive:
- your building must have been confirmed by the Council to be earthquake-prone
- you must have carried out the necessary seismic work, and your building must no longer be earthquake-prone - this can include strengthening and/or demolition work
- you must apply for a remission within 12 months of the Council confirming that the building is no longer earthquake-prone, and
- only the property owner who carried out the seismic work is eligible for the rates remission - it is not available to anyone who purchases the building at a later date.
Rates remissions
Need help?
Email: buildingresilience@wcc.govt.nz
Phone: 04 499 4444