‘We’ve paid nearly $1,500 more’: Mum’s rates bill nightmare sparks urgent warning
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Bills are a fact of life, but what if you found out you were paying more than you should—without even realising it?
For one Australian mum, a routine expense turned into a shocking discovery that left her questioning everything.
What she uncovered has raised concerns about how charges are calculated and whether others might be unknowingly overpaying too.
An Australian mother was stunned to learn she was being charged more in council rates than her neighbours, despite their homes being almost identical.
Kiara Amber, from the Gold Coast, was shocked when her latest rates bill arrived.
Curious to see if others on her street were facing the same costs, she asked around and was floored by what she discovered.
Amber shared that her bill was $300 more than her neighbours’—despite her property being the same size.
‘I just feel for the property that we’re in, which is a duplex, it’s not overly large or anything,’ she said.
‘It’s a three-bedroom with a front yard and backyard. It’s nothing huge. I was just like, how the hell is it so much?’
Her rates bill, issued every six months, had been consistently $1,333.
Since moving in November 2022, she had received five of these notices and had finally had enough.
‘We honestly never really questioned it,’ she said.
‘We were always like, “Oh, wow, we didn’t realise rates were so much.” But we’ve been on our budget grind and I wanted to know how the hell do they charge this.’
When she compared bills, she found that her home was categorised as T2, while her neighbours’ properties were listed as T1.
This classification, used by the local council, appeared to be the reason for the price difference.
‘We’re paying an extra $300 more than our joining neighbour that we share a freaking wall with,’ she said.
‘That feels unfair. We’ve paid nearly $1,500 more than everyone else, which is huge.’
‘We’re a single-income family and owning a house itself is so expensive with all of the bills, let alone having two kids, groceries, fuels, and insurance.’
Determined to fix the issue, Amber lodged a ‘rating category objection’ with the council, requesting her property be reclassified.
She also asked for a refund or credit, arguing that she had been overcharged.
Until the matter is resolved, she refused to pay her next bill, saying the council could deduct the amount from what she believed she was owed.
A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson confirmed they were investigating.
‘This matter is being investigated. We encourage any ratepayer who believes they have been incorrectly categorised to complete a rating category objection as soon as possible,’ they said.
Amber urged Australians to check their bills closely to ensure they were not being overcharged.
‘I think it’s with everything...even with electricity companies and all their charges and their sneaky increases on everything,’ she said.
‘I always question everything, and I won’t stop until I get my money back.’
Watch the video below to learn more.
Have you ever questioned an unexpected charge and fought to get your money back? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
For one Australian mum, a routine expense turned into a shocking discovery that left her questioning everything.
What she uncovered has raised concerns about how charges are calculated and whether others might be unknowingly overpaying too.
An Australian mother was stunned to learn she was being charged more in council rates than her neighbours, despite their homes being almost identical.
Kiara Amber, from the Gold Coast, was shocked when her latest rates bill arrived.
Curious to see if others on her street were facing the same costs, she asked around and was floored by what she discovered.
Amber shared that her bill was $300 more than her neighbours’—despite her property being the same size.
‘I just feel for the property that we’re in, which is a duplex, it’s not overly large or anything,’ she said.
‘It’s a three-bedroom with a front yard and backyard. It’s nothing huge. I was just like, how the hell is it so much?’
Her rates bill, issued every six months, had been consistently $1,333.
Since moving in November 2022, she had received five of these notices and had finally had enough.
‘We honestly never really questioned it,’ she said.
‘We were always like, “Oh, wow, we didn’t realise rates were so much.” But we’ve been on our budget grind and I wanted to know how the hell do they charge this.’
When she compared bills, she found that her home was categorised as T2, while her neighbours’ properties were listed as T1.
This classification, used by the local council, appeared to be the reason for the price difference.
‘We’re paying an extra $300 more than our joining neighbour that we share a freaking wall with,’ she said.
‘That feels unfair. We’ve paid nearly $1,500 more than everyone else, which is huge.’
‘We’re a single-income family and owning a house itself is so expensive with all of the bills, let alone having two kids, groceries, fuels, and insurance.’
Determined to fix the issue, Amber lodged a ‘rating category objection’ with the council, requesting her property be reclassified.
She also asked for a refund or credit, arguing that she had been overcharged.
Until the matter is resolved, she refused to pay her next bill, saying the council could deduct the amount from what she believed she was owed.
A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson confirmed they were investigating.
‘This matter is being investigated. We encourage any ratepayer who believes they have been incorrectly categorised to complete a rating category objection as soon as possible,’ they said.
Amber urged Australians to check their bills closely to ensure they were not being overcharged.
‘I think it’s with everything...even with electricity companies and all their charges and their sneaky increases on everything,’ she said.
‘I always question everything, and I won’t stop until I get my money back.’
Watch the video below to learn more.
Have you ever questioned an unexpected charge and fought to get your money back? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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