Waste Overcharging of Waves Owners by City of Moreton Bay
UPDATE – 4-Aug-2026
At a meeting with a Council Officer of 4/8/2026 they stated that they do not consider the Governance complaints appropriate for this issue. The Council Officer acknowledge that there appeared to be a real issue with the charging for waste and that council was now aware of the issue.
They strongly recommended that we have the Body Corporate lodge a complaint on behalf of all owners.
This is being prepared and we ask that no more individual governance complaints be lodged at this stage. The Body Corporate will provide you a copy of the complaint sent to the CEO of the City of Moreton Bay.
Thus far about 20 governance complaints have been lodged this week.
Here you will find details of the estimated over charging by the City of Moreton Bay for Waste Collection services provided to the Owners at Waves Redcliffe.
If you carefully examine your council Rate notice, you will see an entry regarding Waste Charge.
On notices issued 9/July/2026 it will show in the New Charges section as:-
Waste Charge - Residential (Bulk Bin (240L equivalent)) $118.00
(1 [Number of Domestic Bin Units] * 472.00 [Unit Rate])/ 4 [Bills per year]
We at Waves are treated as a community of 60 lots with bulk refuse collection. We as the group of Owners, and not the Body Corporate, pay for the service.
Since being built the building has had a bulk waste collection of 3 * 1100 litre bins serviced 3 times per week. The serviced volume per week is then 9,900 litres.
As we have 60 Lots each assessed and charged at 240 litres equivalent, that totals 14,400 litres per week. Thus we are paying for 14,400 litres per week but the Council knowingly only provide collection of 9,900 litres per week.
In basic terms, we are being overcharged by Council by 45.45% based on the actual volume serviced each week.
This overcharging has been occurring since at least the issuance of our Rate notices dated 11/4/2023 where Council began showing the assessed volume of 240L on our rate notices.
It is now time to claim a refund from Council of all the overcharging since 11/4/2023. The overcharge has been calculated at $540.91 for each lot at Waves. Council charges 8% interest on overdue rates and so we feel entitled to claim interest on the overcharged amount. Using simple yearly charging for 2023, 2024 and 2025 shows we are due interest of $58.64. That brings total refund to $599.55.
We ask that you delay claiming or alerting Council regarding this matter until 3rd August 2026. In the meantime you should pay your current rate notice in full by 11th August.
All current Owners who owned their units as at 1/5/2023 could each make a claim on Council for the refund plus interest. Should Council reject or refuse our claims then alerting the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) might see Council forced to pay the claims and perhaps penalty fines, just as happens to commercial firms when they have been shown to overcharge.
The City of Moreton Bay has knowingly engaged in misleading and unconscionable conduct by supplying waste collection of 9,900L but charging for 14,400L.
Making Your Claim
We suggest you make your claim using the Council’s “Administrative action complaint form”. Blank or a partially completed forms are available to download below.
Please do not lodge with Council until Monday 3rd August
Complete and scan your form and email to council@moretonbay.qld.gov.au
or
By Hand to Council at their local office at 1 Irene St, Redcliffe
or
By Post as shown on the form
or
Placed in U15 Mailbox by 12 noon on 3/Aug and it will be delivered to Council.
You should add your Property Number, email and phone number somewhere on the form or attachment if you add one. The Property Number is that shown on your Rate Notice.
Also you may wish to add your bank BSB and Account number in case Council does decide to pay you.
If you have not owned your Lot since before 1/5/2023 you will need to have your refund claim amount recalculated.
Below you can download the Excel Spreadsheet file with our calculations.
We provide here a partially completed Claim Form for the overpayment.
If you need a Blank claim form, please use the one below. This might apply if you have not owned your Lot continually between 1/5/2023 and 1/7/2026.
We welcome your feedback. Please send an to email: JohnG@17Marine.com
This matter does not involve the Waves Body Corporate, nor the Committee. It is a matter solely between you as Unit Owner and the City of Moreton Bay as service provider.