Valuation roll outrage

In some cases, proposed property values have, according to CoE, increased by a staggering 350 per cent or more. This comes following the release of the CoE General Property Valuation Roll at the end of February.

Residents have until June 18 to object to the new proposed value for their property. Bedfordview ward councillor Jill Humphreys reported that one resident contacted her claiming there had been a 1 000 per cent increase in the value of their property, according to the roll. “The property was previously evaluated on the roll at R2.5-million and is now listed on the roll for R26-m. “Honestly, what is the City thinking? Property values in the last year have plummeted,” Humphreys said.

She believes that the City now adds insult to injury by not allowing residents the option to object online. “In this time of the pandemic, residents are forced to go and stand in crowded queues and in squashed government building passages, to register their objections. “I truly find this outrageous and unacceptable. The metro made a big thing in June of the rates not going up but they fully intended to hike the valuations. It’s disingenuous in the extreme,” Humphrey’s said.

Resident Gavin Fisher said the valuation roll reflected a 222 per cent increase in the value of his property from R4.1-m to R13.3-m. Caroline Farmer believed the model by the City was “fundamentally flawed”.

“You can imagine my horror on finding that my property has jumped in value by 350 per cent from R3.5-m to R16.1-m in this economic storm.
“The only logical explanation I can find for this dramatic increase is that there is a bug or maybe a virus in the model used by the municipality to do their calculations and nobody has picked it up yet,” she reported to the NEWS.

Harcus Road resident David Atkinson’s property valuation went from R 5.9-m to R14.2-m. “I nearly had a heart attack. I could understand if there were improvements done to the property but there was nothing done. A neighbour in the same road had a reduced valuation,” he said.

Atkinson added that he believed many people wouldn’t take the time to look at their valuation before the objection date and would then be in for a surprise on July 1 when they received their municipal account. Kevin Williams told the NEWS that according to CoE his property was currently valued at R5.3-m and his new valuation increased by just over a million.

“My property was given an estimated valuation price by an estate agency in February 2021 as between R3.4-m and R4-m.” Janet Kenny’s property value shot up from R2.5-m to over R10-m. Samantha Sader’s property valuation more than doubled to over R8.7-m.

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“This is our second increase in eight years. Having said that, the pothole in front of my house has been there for eight years as well,” she said.

Dave Standing, who owns two properties, reported that his Dowerglen residential property increased by 81.9 per cent, while his property in Edenvale, a sectional title, increased in value by 44.7 per cent.

The spokesperson for the CoE, Zweli Dlamini, said property values of all properties within the municipality are compiled every four years per the Municipal Property Rates Act No 6 of 2004.

“The current values are compiled for valuation roll to be implemented on July 1 and will lapse on June 30, 2025.” He added that tariffs for property rates would remain the same for the current financial year ending June 30 and the new rates in line with the General Valuation Roll will only be effective for the new financial year beginning July 1 and ending June 30, 2022.

The NEWS asked the CoE why online submissions of objections were not considered and Dlamini responded that objections have been submitted physically since the implementation of the MPRA.

“It is as per legislation. The objector should sign the form, and an objection assistant should inspect the form and see that the objection form is correctly filled. “Where there are mistakes the objection assistant should assist the objector to fill the objection form to avoid invalid forms from being submitted.”

He added that the process of compiling the valuation roll started in June 2019. “Data of all properties and sales was collected and analysed through physical property inspections, aerial photography and computer-assisted- mass appraisal systems taking into account changes in technology and valuations systems and techniques.”
The NEWS questioned whether a property’s value could have increased from R2.5-m to R25-m.

“If the value of R2.5-m was incorrect during the previous general valuation and the ratepayer did not object as it benefited them, it is possible for the value to jump by this margin.
“Also, the ratepayer during this period of inspection has a right to object through the set objection processes if he/she feels the value is unfair.”

Dlamini assured residents that the objection process is not the last resort to resolve property valuation issues. “If the objector is not happy with the outcome of the objection, he/she can lodge an appeal which will be heard on a stipulated date in the appeal board where both parties (municipal valuer and appellant) will be present in terms of Section 54 of the MPRA.

“If the objector is still not happy about the outcome of the appeal they can approach the high court.” Dlamini said that should residents receive a favourable outcome from the appeal process and be awarded a reduced value, the rates overcharged will be credited back to the ratepayer’s account.

“All municipal customer care centres have been equipped with two personnel who will receive objection forms and assist customers where necessary.” The general valuation roll is available on the Ekurhuleni website together with objection forms. Hard copies of the roll can be inspected in municipal customer care centres.

Bedfordview residents can hand in their objection forms in Room 103 of the Ekurhuleni finance building situated on President Street in Germiston.

Germiston residents can hand in their objection forms in Room 103 of the Ekurhuleni finance building situated on President Street in Germiston.

Edenvale residents can hand their objection forms in at the Rates Hall situated at the corner of Van Riebeeck Avenue and Hendrik Potgieter Street.

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