Auckland Council has contacted around 14,000 Retrofit Your Home scheme customers about an error with their accounts.
The error stems from how interest rates on the Retrofit Your Home loans have been calculated and, as a result, the council has informed affected customers that their February rates bills have been delayed while the council reviews its processes and works as quickly as it can to rectify the errors.
“I want to assure all of our Retrofit Your Home customers that they will not be charged more as a result of this,” says Auckland Council’s Group Treasurer John Bishop.
“We anticipate revised invoices will be sent to customers in the coming weeks, and payment dates will be adjusted to reflect the delay.
“However, if people still want to pay their property rates, excluding their Retrofit Targeted Rate, they can, but they won’t be disadvantaged if they decide not to,” says Mr Bishop
Meanwhile, accounts being settled as a result of a property settlement are being processed manually and new Retrofit Your Home applications have been put on hold until the issue has been resolved.
A dedicated helpline is available to Retrofit Your Home customers so any questions they have can be answered. Customers can call the council on 09 890 7898 or email retrofit@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.
The Retrofit Your Home scheme offers ratepayers financial assistance of up to $5,000 for the installation of clean heat, insulation, water conservation, mechanical extraction and fireplace decommissioning.
The assistance is repaid by a targeted rate (shown on the property quarterly rates bill) over a nine-year term. The targeted rate includes a floating interest rate updated annually.