Joburg’s property valuation objections to be finalised in February

Property owners who have objected to their valuation by the City of Johannesburg this year will have to wait until February when the objection process is finalised, Randburg Sun reports.

Finance MMC Funzela Ngobeni said 50 595 objections were lodged and the City was now considering each objection. Many property owners felt the increased valuation was unrealistic and that they would never be able to sell their home at the municipal value.

READ MORE: Joburg property valuation increases ‘not normal’

“Objections made by residents are currently being considered by the municipal valuer. We are working diligently to ensure that we respond to all objectors and owners timeously,” he said.

“Admittedly, the General Valuation 2018 process was not without its challenges, for this we would like to apologise to our residents. We continuously work towards improving our systems in order to provide customer-centric service that the residents of Johannesburg deserve.”

In April, Mayor Herman Mashaba said no credit management processes would be initiated against objectors, provided that the accounts were not in arrears as at 30 June.

Residents who have lodged objections must, however, continue to make payments on their rates accounts. These payments should be based on the previous rate payments to the City, along with invoiced service charges.

“Their invoices will still reflect the rates charge on the new valuation, because the law prescribes this,” Mashaba said.

Once the objection process is finalised, the objecting property owners will have to make payment with interest, backdated to July 1, for the valuation arising from the objection outcome.

Ngobeni also said where an objection to the new property valuation was declined, any outstanding rates on the property arising from the valuation would become due and payable immediately.

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