Council adopted an Annual Plan for 2026/27 with a rates increase of 5.8 per cent, based on expected growth of 1.7 per cent in the number of rateable properties. That is lower than the 10.1 per cent forecast in the Long Term Plan 2024 to 2044, and the 11.6 per cent in the draft 2025/26 Annual Plan (both figures are after growth). Rates for the year were formally set on 24 June 2026.
The 5.8 per cent is a district-wide figure. What an individual property pays depends on how its valuation has changed compared with the rest of the district, along with the services and targeted rates that apply to it. Two similar homes in different parts of Levin can see quite different changes.
Ask for the property’s current rates assessment and look at the figure for the full year, not just the quarterly instalment. If you are comparing homes, compare their rates as well as their asking prices, because the annual cost of ownership includes both. Your LIM from council will also show information that does not appear on a rates notice. Our buying guide sets out the other checks worth making before you commit.
Have your latest rates notice ready, so that interested buyers get a straight answer quickly. If you would like to talk about how your home is positioned in the Levin market, you can book a free appraisal with Ray White Levin.