The municipality offers COVID-19 relief for ratepayers

Overstrand Municipality advises all ratepayers, who found themselves in financial stress as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown, that Council approved the following relief measures to ease the detrimental financial effect of the lockdown on the local economy:

1. TEMPORARY EXTEND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH APPLICATIONS MAY BE RECEIVED FROM RETIRED AND DISABLED PERSONS FOR SPECIAL REBATES

Pensioners and disabled persons have until 30 November 2020 to submit their applications for a rebate on property rates to Overstrand's Rates and Data Control Office.

This will afford ratepayers more time to acquire and submit the necessary documentation required for the approval of applications.

Retired and Disabled persons qualify for special rebates on property rates, according to their total gross monthly household income.

A rebate will be considered if:

• The owner(s) must be a South African citizen(s)

• The applicant(s) must be the registered owner(s)

• The owner(s) must occupy the property as his/her/their primary residence

• The owner(s) must be at least 60 years of age or in receipt of a disability pension from the State

• The gross monthly household income of less than eight times the state-funded social pension per month

• The applicant(s) may not be owner(s) of more than one property

2. LENGTHEN THE EXTENDED TERMS OF PAYMENT AGREEMENTS IN TERMS OF THE OVERSTRAND CUSTOMER CARE, CREDIT CONTROL AND DEBT COLLECTION POLICY IN TERMS OF PAYMENTS OF ACCOUNTS.

Businesses and municipal account holders (residential customers) who cannot pay their accounts, may enter into a further extended term of payment agreement.

Businesses:

The period for businesses who find themselves under financial stress and cannot pay their accounts due, be extended to include accounts for July 2020 and August 2020 respectively, and that they may enter into an extended term of payment agreement in terms of the Overstrand Customer Care, Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy in order for their payments of the said amounts to be done in equal payments over a six-month period without the payment of a deposit.

Residential:

The period for residential customers who find themselves under financial stress and cannot pay their accounts due, be extended to include accounts for July 2020 and August 2020 respectively, and that they may enter into an extended term of payment agreement in terms of the Overstrand Customer Care, Credit Control and Debt Collection Policy in order for their payments of the said amounts to be done over a period of 12 months without the payment of a deposit.

3. TEMPORARY EXEMPTION OF ADMIN FEE ON AREAR ACCOUNTS

Council resolved that the payment of the following fees for all notices given on arrear accounts during July 2020 and August 2020 respectively, be waived:

• SMS notification admin fee on arrear accounts

• 14 Days notice admin fee on arrear accounts and

• 24 Hour notice admin fee on arrear accounts for bulk users