Click on the link for more information on querying account.
I would like to update my postal address
The City of Johannesburg receives numerous returned statements due to incorrect addresses. Update your address and help us keep in touch with you! If you have changed or are changing your postal address or any of your other contact details, please remember to let us know immediately. Report change of postal addresses for account statements to: joburgconnect@joburg.org.za or contact Joburg’s call centre: 0860 JOBURG or 0860 56 28 74.
Where is the nearest Regional Office for my area?
The City's regions have changed from 11 numerical regions to 7 alphabetical regions. For a detailed breakdown of the new pay points and Customer Service Centres and their services - Click Here.
People's Centres provide local assistance to residents with city-related problems. Check this list for the office closest to you.
How do I query my Account?
If you need to query something on your statement it is important to give the City as much detail as possible.
The first step in the query process is to log your question with Joburg Connect, which you can do by calling Joburg’s call centre: 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74. You'll need your municipal account number and this is always printed on your statement.
When calling, remember to ask for a reference number and quote this number when following up your query, to prevent duplicate queries being logged.
Click on the link for more information on querying account.
Why don’t my payments reflect on my statement?
Payments must be made at least 4 days before due date reflected on the statement. If payments are made after that it will only reflect on the following month's statement. When payments are made electronically the 9 (nine) digit account number reflected on the statement must be used as reference number.
Where can I make inquiries about ELECTRICITY BILLS?
ELECTRICITY is one of the key items on your monthly account from the city. Phone general inquiries number 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74. Have your account at hand when you phone, because you will be asked to quote your account number.
The first step in the query process is to log your question with Joburg Connect, which you can do by calling Joburg’s call centre: 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74. You'll need your municipal account number and this is always printed on your statement.
When calling, remember to ask for a reference number and quote this number when following up your query, to prevent duplicate queries being logged.
Every City of Johannesburg customer should have their own water and electricity account; you can’t inherit an existing water and electricity account from a previous owner or tenant of a property.
Click on the link for more information on querying account.
I want to open a new account.
Every City of Johannesburg customer should have their own water and electricity account; you can’t inherit an existing water and electricity account from a previous owner or tenant of a property.
Why should I pay my account?
The Finance Department is key to the functioning of the entire City of Johannesburg, as it is responsible for collecting revenue from customers and ratepayers. The City sends out over a million accounts per month, to all property owners and to tenants who pay the City direct for water and electricity.
The City of Johannesburg provides a variety of services to the inhabitants of its area of jurisdiction. People who make use of services such as Electricity, Water, Sewerage, etc. pay directly for these services. Services such as libraries, parks, sports fields, roads, etc. are being used by all, but no direct revenue is collected from the users of such services. The income generated by the levying of Assessment Rates is, inter alia, used to provide these services.
It is essential that customers pay the monies owing to the Municipality in order for us to consistently maintain and upgrade the city as well as to continue providing necessary services to our customers. With your rates and taxes, we are able to upgrade our roads by re-tarring and filling pot-holes; to safeguard pedestrians by painting in pedestrian's crossings and building bridges; and we are able to allow children the freedom to play by fencing in our parks and making sure that those parks are clean and healthy environment for them.
All monies paid to the City go back into the City for the continued improvement and revival of its facilities.
Landlords and Tenants
Property owners are responsible for the full payment of all municipal services and rates accounts, even if the property is let to a tenant.
If you see your tenant has fallen into arrears with their municipal account and is making no effort to make arrangements to pay it off or settle the arrears, you can request the restriction or termination of services by faxing a signed, written request with full details of the account to be restricted or terminated to 011 358 3164.
For peace of mind, property owners should ask for copies of tenants' accounts from the City in order to monitor them. Producing two statements of one account will, however, cost a small fee. Send an email request with all the details to joburgconnect@joburg.org.za. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots.
You need JavaScript enabled to view it or fax the request to 011 381 9377.
I receive two accounts, one for Rates and Taxes and one for Water and Electricity. Is it possible to consolidate the two accounts into one account?
Yes, if the name and surname are exactly the same on both of the accounts, you can contact Joburg’s call centre: 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74 and request to consolidate the two accounts into one.
Buying or selling a property in Joburg? What is a rates Clearance certificate?
Clearance Certificates
If your accounts aren't up-to-date, your sale could be delayed. Without this Certificate, you cannot sell your property.
A Clearance Certificate is a legally required document that must be issued by a municipality when property is transferred from one owner to another, and indicates that the account of the seller of the property has no outstanding municipal charges on it.
What is a Rates Clearance Certificate?
This document enables Attorneys the right to transfer properties between owners at the Deeds office. A Rates Clearance Certificate can only be issued by the municipality in which that property is situated. The Rates Clearance Certificate certifies that all amounts that became due in connection with that property, two years preceding the date of application have been fully paid.
Who should apply?
Property owners (residential or commercial) who want to sell their properties. A Transferring Attorney lodges applications with The City of Joburg. These applications are scrutinised for correctness and once this details are verified as being correct the application is processed within five (5) working days.
Why the need for a Rates Clearance Certificate?
When property owners (residential or commercial) is in the process of selling their properties they would need a RCC to have the registration effected by the Registrar of Deeds.
Payments
After the Clearance figures were issued to the Attorney, payment can be effected by either using an Attorneys trust or Bank guarantee cheque or cash. A Clearance Certificate will be issued twenty-four hours (24) after payment was effected.
For more information, please contact Joburg’s call centre: 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74.
Refunds Application Process
REFUNDS are given on credit balances and deposits once a City account has been closed. They are also issued for inactive accounts that have a credit balance.
Question and Answer:
Question 1: How do I apply for a refund?
- All refund applications must be done in writing
- A service ticket must be logged and a reference number issued for all refund queries
- A service ticket can be logged with the Joburg’s call centre: 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74 or alternatively at any of our Walk-In Centres
- All refunds triggered by a land\property transfer will be refunded to the transferring attorneys unless otherwise stated by the attorneys. (Please note that no refunds to third parties will be done)
- The following documents are essential when applying for a refund
- A letter of request
- ID Copies
- A transferring letter from the attorneys
- Proof of payment
- Required for any payments made after the clearance payment
- Incorrect payments into accounts
- A certificate of registration (in cases relating to companies)
Question 2: When do you issue a refund?
A refund is issued when one or more of the following has happened:
- After a land/property transfer was affected and the account has a credit balance.
- After finalisation/closure of the services has been affected and the account has a credit balance
- When a resident or business moves into a property a deposit is required to be paid to council as per approved policy. When the property is being vacated the deposit can then be requested as a refund.
- It must be noted though that the deposit will firstly be utilised to offset any outstanding debt on the account.
- When an overpayment has been made on the account and proof of payment can be produced to support the request.
Question 3: When is an account refundable?
- With regards to the transfer of property refunds, only accounts that are inactive with credit balances will be refunded by the refunds department.
- With regards to refunds due to adjustments, only accounts with credit balances after the adjustment will be refunded by the refunds department.
- With regards to refunds due to incorrect payments, incorrect payments will be refunded provided that proofs of all incorrect payments have been provided.
- In regards to all refunds:
- No refunds will be refundable unless all relevant documentation has been attached to a service ticket (refer to question 1)
Question 4: How long does it take to refund an account?
An account will be refunded in 30 days upon receipt of a complete service ticket with all relevant documentation attached to the service ticket, and all the services have been finalised accurately on the account.
Question 5: How do I transfer credit to another account?
A service ticket must be logged (refer to Q1)
Documentation has to be attached to the service ticket such as Proof of payment and a letter of request.
Question 6: Can I get my refund in cash?
No, we do not issue cash refunds.
Refund methods available:
- Electronic transfers (All refunds to be processed via EFT with Effect from 1 November 2012)
- For electronic transfers one of the following documents will have to be provided:
- A Cancelled cheque
- A Bank statement
- A letter from the bank confirming banking details.
Question 7: Do you pay interest on refunds Outstanding?
No, we do not as we are not a financial institution
UPDATE MY DETAILS: Do you have a facility to change my postal address online?
Report change of postal addresses for account statements to: joburgconnect@joburg.org.za or contact Joburg’s call centre: 0860 Joburg or 0860 56 28 74.
Please supply the following information when requesting change of postal addresses:
- Name of Account Holder
- ID Number / Company registration number of Account holder
- Physical address of the property
- Postal address where statements should be forwarded
- Contact Person in case of a company
- Telephone numbers (Cell, Home, Office, Fax, Email Address)
- Next of kin and contact details of next of kin
Sectional Title Owners - Everything you need to know about managing your Municipal Account
The City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (the Council) implemented the Municipal Property Rates Act from 1 July 2008. The Act requires the Council to invoice individual owners of Sectional Title properties for the rates portion of the municipal account.
In the past, municipal rates accounts have been posted to the Body Corporate, therefore Council does not have postal addresses for individual owners within Sectional Title Schemes. The City of Johannesburg require this information in order to be able to post individual owners their rates accounts from 1 July 2008 (the service portion of the account will continue to be sent to Body Corporates or the nominated managing agents).
