Will adding a dual occupancy affect my property rates?
It may, depending on what happens to the property. Simply constructing a second dwelling does not directly add the value of that building to your ACT rates calculation, because rates are based on the property's Average Unimproved Value (AUV), and unimproved value excludes buildings and other improvements.
However, if the dual occupancy is later unit titled, the rates treatment changes. Residential units have different rating factors and marginal rates from houses, and each unit's valuation charge is apportioned according to its unit entitlement.
Reference: ACT Revenue Office – Land Valuations → Unimproved Value; Calculating Rates → Valuation Charge for Units – https://www.revenue.act.gov.au/rates-and-property-charges/land-valuations?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Short Answer
Not automatically. Adding the second dwelling does not directly increase rates based on the value of the new building. However, if the dual occupancy is unit titled, the rates treatment changes and each unit is rated under the residential-unit framework.
Detailed Explanation
The construction of an additional dwelling does not itself directly increase the unimproved value used for ACT rates, as buildings and other improvements are excluded from unimproved value.
If the property is subsequently unit titled, section 29 of the Rates Act 2004 provides that rates become payable by the unit owners and are imposed on each unit as if the unit were a parcel of land. The ACT Revenue Office also applies a separate residential-unit rating structure.
No minimum block size does not remove the need for planning assessment.
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