25 Jul 2012
Objecting to a Council Valuation
Council valuations are completed every two years across each of Victoria’s 79 municipalities for the purpose of providing a mechanism to determine council rates.
Occasionally a land owner may disagree with a valuation of land. It is important to understand your rights as a land owner, as such valuation can have a significant impact on council rates. Land owners that disagree with their valuation have a right to object, provided that they follow a statutory objection procedure.
Common grounds for objection include:
- that the value assigned is too high;
- that the interests held by the various owners of the land have not been correctly apportioned;
- that land that should have been included in one valuation have been valued separately, or vice versa; and
- that the area, dimensions or description of the land are incorrect as stated in the notice.
Land owners need to be wary of the strict time limitations for lodging an objection to a valuation notice. Generally, land owners must lodge their objection to the relevant authority within two months of receiving a valuation notice.
It is equally important for land owners to ensure that their objections contain a range of prescribed information. Although a rating authority cannot disallow an objection based on a failure to provide certain information, the likelihood of an incomplete objection being assessed in favour of the applicant may be diminished
M+K Lawyers have an experienced property team dedicated to facilitating land owners in council valuation objections. If you would like more information on how we can assist you, please call Geoff Manolitsa on (03) 9794 2552 or email geoff.manolitsa@mk.com.au
This article was written by Andrew Power, M+K Property Team.
