Rates for separately used or inhabited parts of a property (SUIP)

Residential SUIPs

A SUIP is part of a property that can be lived in or used separately from the rest of a property. It has separate facilities that are not shared with others on the same property, like a bathroom and an area to prepare food.

Most people live in a single dwelling or SUIP, like a house. Some properties have more than one dwelling on the same land title, like a granny flat or a block of flats.

Each separately used part of a property is considered a SUIP. We consider each separately used part of a property as a SUIP if it 'is being used' or 'can be used'

Rates apply to each SUIP. They are included in the Uniform Annual General Charge and targeted rates (where applicable) on your property rates bill.

Examples of a residential property with more than one SUIP include:

• a property with both a residential house and a smaller dwelling
• a residential house with an area under the same roof that can be lived in separately, like a basement flat
• a property with a shop or other business on the ground floor and a residence upstairs.

Examples of the types of rates charged for residential SUIPs

We will include charges for SUIPs in the Uniform Annual General Charge (fixed charge) and targeted rates, where applicable.

How we define a residential SUIP

We charge rates for a residential SUIP if it can be occupied and has:

• a separate area to prepare food with:
• space to use a microwave, hot plate or electric frying pan, and
• a sink with running water
• a separate toilet
• a separate bathroom
• separate access.

A separate laundry area is not needed for a dwelling to be considered a SUIP.

Other residential SUIPs

Areas where someone has a tenancy, lease, licence or other agreement to use or live in part of a property are also SUIPs. They do not need their own toilet, bathroom or food preparation facilities. Examples include boarding houses where a tenant has their own bedroom but shares facilities with other residents.

SUIPs used for a single-family household

We will reduce SUIP rates where there is more than one SUIP on a property, if:

• both parts of the property are under the same roof,
• there is internal access between the two parts, and
• both parts are used by a single family.

Single-family SUIP declaration form

The owner or occupant of the property must sign a SUIP declaration form to confirm it is for single-family use.

Business SUIPs

Business properties are also charged rates for SUIPs.

SUIP charges apply to each separate space in a building that is intended to be leased or used as a business.

Examples of business SUIPs

Examples include:

• a shop in a shopping centre
• a business premises with a separate residential area
• a home-based business like a hair salon
• an ATM in a building that is not a bank
• billboards
• a shop with a café that operates as a separate business
• a commercial building leased, or sub-leased, to multiple tenants
• a separate dwelling used for short-term accommodation
• spaces in an office block intended for use by a different business to the owner.

How we classify SUIPs

Each year our rates team assesses if a SUIP is being used as single dwelling, such as by one family. In some cases, a valuer might need to inspect the property if we cannot confirm all conditions are met from floor plans and photographs.

Object to our SUIP classification

Visit Change your property information - Object to the Rating Information Database (RID) to submit an objection if you think the information we have used to calculate your property rates is wrong.