Rating valuation objections – what next?

Auckland property owners who objected to their latest council valuations will receive the results of the objection process before rates bills are issued later this year.

Auckland Council released its property valuation figures on November 20, 2017. Property owners had until January 16 to object to these valuations, and since then the council has been working through a total of 7800 objections - 6000 relating to residential properties.
Auckland Council Head of Rates, Valuations & Data Management Debbie Acott says that the 2017 revaluation received the lowest number of objections (approximately 1.4%) since amalgamation in 2010.

“The low number of objections tells us that overall the latest revaluation figures accurately reflected the dynamic Auckland housing market, and the majority of property owners in Auckland agree,” Ms Acott says.

“A small proportion of objections to valuations is always expected, given that we use mass appraisal techniques to value around 550,000 properties in Auckland.

“If you have objected to a valuation and haven’t heard anything yet I want to reassure you that this is entirely normal and all objections are being worked through the appropriate process.

“Although there is no legal timeframe to process the outcome for rating valuation appeals, we are working to have this completed by 30 June.

“The new values will be used for the generation of rates bills being sent out from 1 August, 2018 and will reflect the outcome of any appealed valuation.”

Although rates notices will be sent out from 1 August, ratepayers will be able to see their new rates online mid-July.

Property owners wanting to appeal their revised valuation have 20 days to do so via the Land Valuation Tribunal (LVT). In this scenario, their rates bills will be issued from 1 August reflecting their revised council valuation, but rates accounts would be amended if required following the outcome of the LVT appeal.

We encourage anyone who has objected to their 2017 valuation, but has yet to receive a decision on their appeal, to contact us if they are concerned about the process. Revisions can be expedited to reflect personal circumstances.

Further details can be found here.

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