You may ask what is a valuation roll ?. The value of the property of owners/residents are determined by the Municipalities Valuers department and your monthly rates and taxes will reflect the likely increased value of your property. Once drafted the valuation roll becomes a legal document that reflects the property information of all rateable properties within the jurisdiction and or geographical boundaries of a municipality. The basis of the valuation is market related IE. the market value of the property .Which evidently means what the property will currently sell for on the open market, on the basis of a willing buyer and a willing seller on the date of valuation. Properties can be physically inspected and valued but this generally happens where aerial photography and other imagery is not usable especially where properties have a lot of foliage and or high walls. Carma system [ a computer aided mass appraisal] is used for this valuation. Valuers utilize a variety of tools IE building plans oblique imagery and state of the art photography that show the properties from all angles.
This is an opportune opportunity if you as a property owner has not lodged a dispute related to incorrect rating categorizations or valuations of the 2013 General Valuations roll to take hold of the window opened , because if you do not now lodge a dispute you may be precluded from lodging any future disputes indefinitely.
Traditionally black home owners especially owners of properties in 'townships " are reluctant or do not bother or are ignorant to inspect the municipal valuation roll when opened for inspection. This is done to their own long term detriment and harm. Once checked and inspected owners can and should lodge objections if they do not agree with categorization and valuation of their property. . Owners of property need to understand that the value attached by the municipality to their properties, will fundamentally form the basis for the property rates they will have to pay to the municipality for the next few years.Owners should wake up and check as a matter of urgency what the municipality value their properties for .Remembering the higher the value the higher your rates payments will be. Property owners should indeed become intelligent in these matters as it could mean huge savings. However objections to municipal valuation should be done intelligently and not haphazardly as it could have a reverse effect and not the desired outcome.
It is imperative that we change this narrative as speedily as is possible.Home owners pay millions of rand to municipalities unnecessarily so , where otherwise they would have paid less on rates charges to their properties, if they ensured the correct value is ascribed.
" PART TWO OF THIS IMPORTANT ARTICLE TO FOLLOW SHORTLY WATCH THIS SPACE'"
Mr Dorian V Hartzenberg
For POPULAR REAL ESTATES