Your rates valuation explained and how to make an objection

For transparency and efficiency, the Valuer-General Victoria is now responsible for valuations rather than local council.

All states and territories now have the same statutory valuation authority responsible for delivering rating and taxation valuations.

Annual valuations, rather than biennial valuations, are expected to improve transparency and accuracy in the distribution of rates.

The move to annual valuations aims to ensure consistency with any changes in valuations on your rates notice and Land tax valuations.

Your valuation may have decreased by less than the Bayside average, or it may have increased by more than the Bayside average. 

However, your rates may have increased for various reasons, such as:

• Your valuation may have changed (a change in valuation can also impact your Fire Service Levy)
• You may have changed your waste service.
• Your pensioner concession eligibility may have changed.

If you want to make an enquiry regarding your rates payments please contact us on 9599 4444.

Your property value may not have decreased in line with the wider market at the point when valuations were set.

Valuations are relevant as at 1 January of each year. These valuations are based on sales activity leading up to and close to this relevant date. 

If you wish to object to the valuation applied, you must do so within two months after the annual notice has been issued.

Make an enquiry about your rates valuation

The valuations on your rates notice has been assigned by the Valuer-General Victoria.

Valuations on your rate notice are established on 1 January and do not reflect the current market conditions today.

Qualified valuers analyse all sales that occur between revaluations to determine the new valuations. These are then applied to each individual property in Bayside. 

All valuations are relevant as at 1 January and are set in accordance with the Valuation Best Practice Specifications Guidelines.

Each property is allocated an Australian Valuation Property Classification Code (AVPCC). This code is linked with a land use classification which is used for Fire Levy calculation purposes.

For any further queries regarding your rates, you can make an enquiry about your rates valuation or contact our Revenue Department on (03) 9599 4444.

In certain circumstances valuations may be performed in between general annual valuations. This is referred to as a "Supplementary Valuation".

A supplementary valuation can be conducted as a result of one of the following:

• Any change to the physical characteristics of your property:
  • Examples of this may be where a dwelling/shop/warehouse has been built, demolished or altered;
  • Other examples of this may be where land is subdivided, portions of land are sold off or rezoned.
  • A change to the use of the property.

The effective date of a valuation is deemed to be the date supplied to us on which triggers a change in valuation.

For example, Certificates (such as final inspection, occupancy permits or demolition permits) are issued by the relevant building and are lodged with us and are used by the Contract Valuer to assess the supplementary valuation.

We are guided by the relevant documentation supplied by your building or land surveyor to identify the need for a supplementary valuation to commence.

When we have received the appropriate information, this is referred to the Contract Valuer to assess any amendments required to a valuation. A "Supplementary Valuation notice" will then be issued.

Please contact the Revenue Department (03) 9599 4444 for more information.

All valuations are now provided to the State Revenue Office (SRO) by the Valuer-General Victoria.

If you have received a Land Tax notice and have concerns regarding the Valuation applied, you must contact the State Revenue Office (SRO). 

Visit the State Revenue Office's website

If you wish to lodge an objection to your valuation, please use the Rating valuation objections portal. 

Alternatively, you can download and complete one of the below forms:

Residential objection form (PDF, 341.46KB)

Commercial/industrial objection form (PDF, 346.37KB)

The objection must be lodged online via the objection portal or the Objection Form must be received by Bayside City Council within 2 months of the date of issue as printed on our valuation and rate notice. This date is determined by legislation and we cannot extend this date.

Forms can be emailed to us or posted to: Bayside City Council, 76 Royal Avenue, Sandringham VIC 3191.

For customers who have been issued a Valuation & Notice, or a Supplementary Valuation & Rate Notice since the original issue date, it is recommended that owners make enquiries with us first to discuss their valuations. The issue date is printed on the front of your notice. Objections cannot be lodged on Statements, Instalments or Adjustment notices.

Making an initial enquiry prior to lodging a formal objection could provide a clearer understanding of your valuation without going through the objection process, saving you time and effort.

Make a rates valuation enquiry

If you are still concerned by your property valuation you may object to the valuation you can find out more information about the objection process.

If you (or an Authorised Representative) wishes to formally object, you must complete and lodge an objection form within 2 months of the date of issue shown on your rates notice.

Objections received after this date will not be considered.