About 30 people attended a seminar at Otago Museum yesterday, organised by Fletcher Lodge owners Keith and Ewa Rozecki-Pollard.
The seminar featured a presentation by Law Guide director Michael Forster, outlining the situation the owners found themselves in and suggesting ways of challenging the council.
The seminar followed a new round of property valuations by Quotable Value, as agents for the council, earlier this year, which found five B&B properties in the city - including Fletcher Lodge - were operating as commercial, rather than residential, entities.
Based on the assessments, the council approved a switch from residential to commercial rates for four of the properties, in some cases tripling their annual rates bill.
One of the five B&Bs escaped commercial rates, but another B&B was assessed as commercial by QV staff after a visit late last month.
Yesterday's presentation covered the use of legislation, including the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, to ask questions of the council, as well as complaints to the Office of the Ombudsmen.
Mr Forster also reminded his audience to remember the upcoming local body election in October.
"This really is the one where you should be getting excited," he said.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Rozecki-Pollard said he was pleased with the turnout, and had already begun work to form an association to represent B&B owners' interests to the council.
He expected to hold a formal meeting to establish the new body in the next two weeks, and had already been approached by several candidates planning to stand in this year's election who were interested in further talks with the group.
