Casey sends ‘friendly’ rates texts

Rate-reminder notices have started popping up on mobile phone screens near you.
Starting from this month, about 16,000 digital reminders are being sent to Casey ratepayers who opted to pay the full invoice by 15 February.
The reminders have included an online link to either pay the bill or apply for an instalment plan.
Casey chief financial officer Andrew Davis said the trial was a “friendly reminder”, part of an effort to ease the pressure on ratepayers.
“Council is aware that the notion of paying rates can be accompanied by some stress, and these reminders, as well as the option to pay through instalments will hopefully ease some of that pressure,” he said.
“This is the first instance that Council has trialled a mass text message reminder of this scale, and we are pleased with the outcome of this so far.”
Details: Casey Council on 9705 5200 or casey.vic.gov.au/council/rates/paying-your-rates.