smithy09 50 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Had our first look around Rakino today. What a cool island! Also heard that the residents have to pay standard Auckland rates...... What a rip off!! Condidering they have no transport, sewage, electricity, proper roads, school, hospital etc etc. What do their rates get them? The roads graded and rubbish collection. These high rates are forcing many of the alternative, low budget lifestylers to sell up, as they cannot afford them. What a shame, and for sure the death of a classic Kiwi way of life... Shame on Auckland city council. I'm all for User pays, but these people get nothing in return!! Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 They get peace and quiet! Link to post Share on other sites
tuffyluffy 76 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Im not sure they pay full rates Smithy. My house a Piha has cheaper rates because the council doesnt provide water or sewage. Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 They get peace and quiet! How does the Council provide this? Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Im not sure they pay full rates Smithy. My house a Piha has cheaper rates because the council doesnt provide water or sewage. When we walked around today we reckoned that 50% of the houses were for sale. We went and talked with a VERY long term resident and he said that he paid $100 a month less than his Dominion Rd property. We asked him about the large no of houses for sale and he said it was mainly down to rates.. People couldn't afford them. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 How does the Council provide this? If you ask any of them, I bet they have never had a Councilor knock at the door For that matter, neither a Politician, Norman the Mormon or the Girlguides with biscuits. Not sure why they could not afford rates. How is it different to anyone living on Waiheke for say. Link to post Share on other sites
Bogan 8 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 So when they come to town they don't use the roads or public transport? They can use most council services just like you or I. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 That is not quite the same as as having Rubbish, Water and sewerage, Road upkeep and Footpaths along with the grass mown along the side of them. If you don;t have the services, you should not have to pay the full amount. Of which they don't pay the full amount. But whether the rebate is equivilant to the lack of services is the real argument. Another rates argument i feel is completely unfair is the poor folks in the CHCH Red zone that are being asked to pay the Full rates. That's Full rates for no services whatsoever and they can not even live on the land anymore. In fact it ios not even their land now, apart from the fact it has not actually been handed over to the Gvt orCouncil or whoever takes it over. Now that is completely unfair in my view. Link to post Share on other sites
Atom Ant 0 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 If they are paying $100 less per month = $1200 per year. That kinda sounds like half the price of average Auckland rates doesn't it? Link to post Share on other sites
rigger 47 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 If they are paying $100 less per month = $1200 per year. That kinda sounds like half the price of average Auckland rates doesn't it? Yeap about half what I paid when living in Akl. Link to post Share on other sites
JK 28 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Around 18 years ago you could purchase a 2 bedroom batch on Rakino for the same price as a 5yo stretched Ross830. I ended up purchasing the boat, After Midnight, for around $30k. Had to buy a marina berth on the new extension at Westhaven as there were none to rent back then. I notice there has not been much movement in the prices of the boats or berths. Link to post Share on other sites
Atom Ant 0 Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Many years ago friends of mine purchased a bach on Rakino for around 50K. Collectively all his friends thought "good on you but you are mad". They kept it for around 10 years, probably poured around 50K more into it and sold it for 360K. Best investment they ever made. Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 I still reckon it's a shame. The old NZ option of dropping out and living on an island on the cheap is gone.. Bloody rates.. What for? The arguement that they use the rates when they visit Auckland is as spurious as saying we should pay Wellington rates because we visit there from time to time.. They have a bare minimum of council support on Rakino, and in my view should pay peppercorn rates only. Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 The old NZ option of dropping out and living on an island on the cheap is gone..When was it ever there smithy. Even years ago, many have tried, but never succeded. I don't quite understand their issue though. If they come back tio the mainland, the amount they pay for rates will double. The only real cost they have out on the Island is that they have the Ferry travel to work each day. But then, they don't Vehicle running costs and parking like many mainlanders do, so that would balance out. If a home out there is $350K, then they have cheap housing as well then. I find that interesting. I would have thought houses out there would have been Moonbeams. They are going to get a surprise looking at the Mainland market for Homes or Rent. The argument that rates are the main driving force for them leaving just doesn't add up to me and I am wondering if they have really done the Sums. Hmmm, maybe I shgould look at living out on an Island. Link to post Share on other sites
smithy09 50 Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 It was there big time on Waiheke and to a lesser extent Rakino in the 70s and early 80s Wheels. You could go over to the island, buy a section for bugger all, build pretty much what you wanted, and live off the land or whatever other dodgy enterprise you had dreamed up. Same sort of thing in the Coromandle.. Personally, I like the fact that people can still do this, a little like cruising.. Drop off the standard face of society and live an alternate lifestyle. Not sure it's for me, but I like the fact that it's possible.. Now it doesn't seem to be, and that is direct from the residents. They still have the rusty old non warranted cars, and bachy type houses, but increasingly have to comply with all the standard red tape that everyone else does PLUS pay pretty high rates while getting very little in return. It is the rates that kills them. They can do everything else on the cheap, but can't avoid the rates, and that's what kills them off and forces them to sell up. Shame. Link to post Share on other sites
tuffyluffy 76 Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Very similar things have been happening on Stewart Island. In the early 90's a waterfront 1/4 acre section with an old crib (no city power, DIY water and sewage, minimal rates etc) could be purchased for $10K. All the locals drove round on old tractors or cars that hadnt had a WOF for 10 years. Sadly its heading the same way as Waiheke. We've got an old boatshed on the beach down there and what the council wants in 'ground rent' is rediculous when compared to the services consumed. Unfortunately as the world population explodes, and nice land becomes increasingly sought after, these types of hidey-holes will become less obtainable to the masses and the alternative lifestylers. I agree its a shame Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 It is the rates that kills them. They can do everything else on the cheap, but can't avoid the rates, and that's what kills them off and forces them to sell up. You can't live on nothing. So are two scenarios. 1: They go to Auckland to work each day and thus earn an income and with rates being half what they will pay in Auckland, they are on the plus side. 2: They don't have a job because there are none on the Island and therefore Collect the Dole, of which means that you and I pay for them to live on an Island and thus, I have no simpathy for them. Link to post Share on other sites
Fogg 427 Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 It is the rates that kills them. They can do everything else on the cheap, but can't avoid the rates, and that's what kills them off and forces them to sell up. You can't live on nothing. So are two scenarios. 1: They go to Auckland to work each day and thus earn an income and with rates being half what they will pay in Auckland, they are on the plus side. 2: They don't have a job because there are none on the Island and therefore Collect the Dole, of which means that you and I pay for them to live on an Island and thus, I have no simpathy for them. Ever heard of: 1. Retirement? 2. Passive income (no work required)? 3. Holiday homes? Link to post Share on other sites
wheels 543 Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Ever heard of: 1. Retirement? 2. Passive income (no work required)? 3. Holiday homes? Yes but that means you would benifit from cheaper rates now wouldn't you. So why would you move to the Mainland. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Lots of retired people in Auckland city being forced out of their homes by rates. Link to post Share on other sites
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