Incorrect rates

Under the Valuation of Land Act 1960 you can object to the council about the valuation of your property provided you do so within two months of the rate notice being issued. Your objection must be based on one or more of these grounds:

the value is too high or too low;
the interests held by various people have not been correctly apportioned;
the apportionment of the valuation is not correct;
lands that should have been included were valued separately;
lands that should have been valued separately have been included in one valuation;
the person named in the assessment notice should not have been named; and
the area, dimensions or description of the land were not correctly stated.

The valuation is then referred to the valuer, who must discuss your objection with you. If the valuer decides to change the valuation, the Office of the Valuer General must approve the valuer's recommendation for adjustment. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your objection you can lodge an appeal with the Victorian Administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT) under the Valuation of Lands Act. Under some circumstances, such as when the court thinks your appeal raises questions of unusual difficulty or of general significance, your appeal could go to the Supreme Court. You should consult your solicitor if you consider going to the Supreme Court rather than VCAT.

Under the Local Government Act 1989 you can appeal to the County Court if you think that:

a rate or charge was declared on non-rateable land;
that a rate or charge was calculated incorrectly; or
you were levied with a rate or charge and you were not liable to be rated.