City of Johannesburg Property Valuation Too High? What You Can Do
Have you checked your City of Johannesburg property valuation and thought: “There is no way my property is worth that much.”
Or perhaps your monthly rates have suddenly increased, and you are trying to understand why.
This is a common frustration for property owners.
Your Property Value Affects Your Rates
The first thing to know is that your municipal property valuation and your monthly property rates are linked.
If the valuation is incorrect, it can affect what you pay every month.
Why Does Your Municipal Valuation Matter?
The City places a municipal value on your property.
That value is then used, together with your property category and the applicable tariff, to calculate your property rates.
So if something is wrong with the valuation or the category, your rates may also be wrong.
That is why it is important to check more than just the final amount on your municipal bill.
What Can Go Wrong?
Mistakes do happen.
The City may have incorrect information about the property, or the value may not properly reflect the property itself.
Common issues can include:
Sometimes the first sign of a problem is simply that your rates suddenly increase.
Can You Object?
Yes.
When a valuation roll is open, property owners can lodge an objection during the official objection period.
But it is important to understand that saying:
“My valuation is too high”
is usually not enough.
A proper objection should explain why you believe the value is incorrect and should be supported by evidence.
Supporting Evidence May Include:
- Comparable property sales
- A private valuation
- Property photographs
- Details about the condition of the property
- Structural problems
- Correct property-use information
- Evidence that the City has incorrect information on record
The stronger your supporting information, the easier it is to explain why the valuation should be reconsidered.
What If You Missed the Objection Period?
This is where many property owners panic.
They only notice the problem once the new rates start appearing on the account.
Missing the objection period does not always mean there is nothing you can do.
Depending on the circumstances, there may still be another process available to have the property investigated, which may include a Section 78 valuation process.
The important thing is not to leave the matter for months or years without checking what options are available.
Can You Stop Paying Your Rates While You Object?
Usually, no.
Lodging an objection does not automatically place your municipal account on hold.
Your rates and municipal account still need to be managed while the valuation matter is being considered.
This can be frustrating, especially when you believe the City has made the mistake.
But ignoring the account can create an even bigger problem later.
Can You Handle It Yourself?
Yes, you can.
You can check your valuation, collect your evidence, lodge the objection and follow up with the City yourself.
If you understand the process and have the time to manage it, there is nothing wrong with doing it yourself.
But municipal matters can become frustrating and time-consuming.
You need to keep records, meet deadlines, prepare the correct documents and keep following up.
Or You Can Ask Someone to Assist
There is also nothing wrong with appointing someone experienced to handle the process for you.
You are not paying because you caused the mistake.
You are paying for someone’s:
Sometimes that can save you a lot of stress and wasted time.
Make Sure You Are Fixing the Right Problem
One of the biggest mistakes property owners make is assuming that the valuation itself is the problem.
Sometimes the value is correct, but the category is wrong.
Or the property use is incorrect.
Or the billing on the municipal account is wrong.
Before lodging an objection, first establish exactly what the problem is.
Ask:
Valuation
Is the municipal valuation itself incorrect?
Category
Has the property been classified incorrectly?
Account
Is there another municipal billing problem?
Is the valuation wrong, the category wrong, or is there another account issue?
Once you know that, you can follow the correct process.
How Rates4U Can Help
Rates4U has been assisting Johannesburg property owners with municipal matters since 2003.
We assist with:
- Property valuation investigations
- Valuation objections
- Supplementary valuation matters
- Section 78 processes
- Property category issues
- Related municipal account problems
Our role is to help identify what the problem is and assist with the correct process.
Don’t Leave It Until It Becomes a Bigger Problem
If your City of Johannesburg property valuation does not look right, investigate it.
Mistakes happen.
You can try to resolve the matter yourself, or you can appoint someone to help you.
What matters most is that you do something about it.
The longer an incorrect valuation or category remains unresolved, the longer it may continue affecting your municipal account.
Need Help With a City of Johannesburg Property Valuation?
Contact Rates4U – Municipal Made Easy.
Let us help you understand the problem and identify the correct next step.
CONTACT RATES4U