Ratepayers have responded to Auckland Council’s quarterly rates competition with a surge in sign-ups for direct debit payments and e-rates.
Ratepayers who opt to pay their rates by direct debit and receive their bills by email will be automatically entered into a quarterly draw to win $2500, which runs until May 2017.
The first winner of the four quarterly draws is Jennifer Bartlett, from the North Shore.
The prize money for this competition is sponsored by ASB Bank.
Changes saving money
The competition and a customer friendly rates bill and newsletter have prompted a 42 per cent increase in ratepayers signing up to direct debit, and a 115 per cent spike in e-rates sign-ups. The council received 12.9 per cent fewer queries to call centre in August when the notices went out compared with the same time in 2015.
The new-look rates notice includes more information on fewer pages on how and where rates money is spent by the council on improving services, building infrastructure and development projects.
This change, and the removal of the returnable envelope, will save Auckland Council $140,000 a year.
Features of the new rates programme
- The rates notice has been decreased from three pages to two
- A quarterly newsletter replaces separate rates inserts
- Overall savings achieved of $140,000 a year from the redesigned rates notice and the removal of returnable envelopes
- Ongoing savings will be achieved through increasing the number of ratepayers who receive their bills electronically and pay by direct debit
- The new format provides more information on where rates are being spent.
For more information on e-rates and paying by direct debit, please visit Auckland Council.
