Checking Ownership Details Before Providing Information for a Rates Enquiries

The Privacy Act 1988 (the Privacy Act) establishes the Federal legislative framework overseeing the collection and processing of private information relating to individuals in Australia.

Personal information refers to information about living individuals and not deceased individuals.

Common examples of personal information are individuals:

  • Name
  • Signature
  • Address
  • Telephone number
  • Date of birth
  • Medical records
  • Bank account details
  • Employment details
  • As well as commentary or opinion about an individual.

Rates Information

Information regarding Rates like:

  • Balance of Rates
  • Rates and charges
  • Ownership of the property
  • Personal contact details of the owner

CSO:

Steps to Verify Property Ownership:

  1. Go to P & R > Property Enquiry.

  2. Confirm whether the property is owned by an individual or a non-individual entity (e.g., business, trust, etc.).

  3. In the P & R property record, check if the customer’s name matches the recorded owner of the property in our system.

Properties Owned by Individuals

Confirm Ownership

  • Confirm if the person making the request is listed as the current owner of the property.
     

Counter verification process:

Verify they are the owner, check their driver's licence:

  • Does the name and address on the licence matches the property owner on our record?
    If it matches, proceed to provide them information related to their property.

  • If they do not have a licence or do not match the owner's details on our records, follow the phone process of verification below
     

Phone verification process:

Step 1: In the P & R property record, does the customer name match the owner on our records for that property?

Step 2: If yes, ask the customer to verify ONE of the following:

  • The default mailing address for the property.

  • If there is another owner, what is their name?

  • The last payment amount made to Rates.

  • Email address or phone number listed under Names ID associations (if available).

Step 3: If they got one right, proceed to provide them the information on their property

Unable to identify: Advise the customer you have not been able to identify them and can't provide the information. They can email their request to Council's email requesting Rates information.

 

Properties owned by Non -Individual (Businesses,Trusts etc)

Properties owned by non-individual entities (e.g. companies, trusts, body corporates) are not covered under the Privacy Act. However, we still need to confirm the identity of individuals requesting information on behalf of such entities.

Customer Service Limitation:

Customer Service staff cannot verify the authority of individuals acting on behalf of non-individual owners and, therefore, cannot provide any property-related information in these cases.

How Can They Obtain Information?

If a person claims to be the owner, director, accountant, managing agent, or body corporate representative:

 

CSO:

Advise the customer that they will need to email their request to council@cgd.vic.gov.au and include:

  • Documentation confirming they are the director or owner of the business
  • Also, what information are they requesting?

Once received, the Rates Team will process the request within 3 to 5 business days.

Not the owner process

Request from: Estate/managing agent/body corporate

CSO:

Advise the customer that they will need to email their request to council@cgd.vic.gov.au and include either:

  • A signed letter from the property owner authorising them to obtain information related to that property or 
  • A lease agreement signed by the owner, clearly stating that the agent is permitted to obtain information regarding the property.
  • Also clearly state what information they are requesting.

Once received, the Rates Team will process the request within 3 to 5 business days.

Request from: Executors named in the Will and Holders of a Power of Attorney

CSO:

  • Advise the customer that they need to email their request to council@cgd.vic.gov.au and include any relevant documentation e.g, The Will, POA documents
  • They must also specify what information they require.

Once received, the Rates Team will process the request within 3 to 5 business days

They can also post to: 

Mail:                               
PO Box 200
Dandenong 3175

Once received, the Rates Team will process the request within 3 to 5 business days.

Contact Details