（澳大利亚以及旧时英国的）房产税，房地产税
a local tax paid in Australia, and in Britain in the past, by the owners of houses and other buildings
I see rates are going up again.
Have we paid our rates?
How much are our rates?
Some citizens were refusing to pay their rates.
People are struggling to pay their rates.
People were saying they'd rather go to jail than pay their rates.
Instead of rates we now have Council Tax, in which people pay according to the value of their property.
See also: rate noun (TAX)