THE Suva City Council has collected over $14million in rates in the first five months of 2012.
SCC special administrator Chandu Umaria said the amount was a result of SCC's new found rate collection strategies.
"Some of the strategies that we've adopted include placing of charges on freehold properties, advertising of defaulters on daily newspapers, legal action, regular follow-ups, the non-issuance of base letters if rates were not being paid and not accepting or processing building and development applications," said Mr Umaria.
He said these tactics had been effective as it had enabled the collection of $14,760,916.
"Of this amount $12,831,599 is the total amount of rates that we have collected and $1,929,317 is the total of arrears that the council has gathered so far."
Mr Umaria said with the rate of collection, they were on course to achieve and exceed their end of the year target.
He said they had also been successful in collecting further revenue from the issuance of business licences to new shop owners.
"To date we don't have any empty shops in Suva City and most businesses are opening their businesses in the town centre proving its popularity among businesses and customers.
"So far we have collected $1,176,938.77 over the last five months and we have already achieved 77 per cent of our annual target of $1,527,460."
However, despite SCC's positive incomes for the year, Mr Umaria said the council was still faced with difficulties that posed a few issues and problems.
He also added that the majority of arrears in rates were being paid to the Ministry of Lands which lies at approximately $4.1million.