However, as we report today, the owners of almost 3000 Rotorua properties haven't paid their rates. Whether that's because they won't or can't, we don't know.
It's a pretty safe bet however to assume most are not blatantly flouting their responsibilities but simply didn't have the money to pay.
Many Kiwis scrimp and save for years to be able to buy their own house, thinking it will bring them financial security.
But when they achieve it they find the expenses don't end with the mortgage.
Even for those that do their research and think they are prepared, the rates, utilities bills, insurances can at times feel overwhelming.
Then, all it takes is a burst pipe or faulty wiring or an unexpected illness or injury to mess up the budget completely.
When you're the owner there's no running to the landlord.
Rates are a contentious issue for those who have to pay them, as those who read the letters to the editor section will know.
They went up last year and are scheduled to go up again this year, leading to concern among some the increase will unfairly affect people's standard of living, particularly those such as pensioners, who are already on a tight budget.
As one of the 99.5 per cent who pay their rates, I expect others to pay them as well. Not just in the interests of fairness, but because so many of our city's services depend on that money.
But that doesn't mean I don't have sympathy for those who genuinely can't find that money.
We can only hope that as the dollar amounts on our rates bill inch higher, the number of people racking up debt doesn't rise with it.
