Property Assessments Not Set In Stone

Real estate markets seem to be plateauing and the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) is trying to reflect that in their property value assessments. But, all it takes is an error in assessment or one hotly-contested home to boost prices in the neighbourhood, increase value assessments, and send tax bills on an uphill slope some clients may think they’ll need Sherpas to climb. It may be comforting for them to know that they can ask MPAC to review their property’s assessed value.

TIME TO RECONSIDER MPAC is a not for profit corporation that administers the property assessment function for the Province of Ontario. It has revamped its processes and will now be on a one-year cycle, providing property assessments in the 445 municipalities across the province.

For homeowners who believe that the assessed value of their property is inaccurate, they can: a) Ask MPAC to review their property’s assessed value, or; b) File a Notice of Complaint with the Assessment Review Board (ARB), which is an independent tribunal, governed by the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General.

MPAC assesses 4.4 million properties; “We know we won’t get everything correct, but that’s why we have the Request for Reconsideration,” the corporation’s Bill Bradley told Realtors at the OREA Political Affairs Seminar this past November. At no cost, MPAC will review material homeowners provide and the information that they have about the property in their files. Details such as the size, location, condition and age of the property and details such as depreciation, nuisances and any other factors that can have an impact on the current value of the property are considered. Sales and values of similar properties in the area are also considered in the review.

Homeowners and property owners who decide to file the Notice of Complaint must do so by March 31st, 2006. The ARB’s required filing fee for a residential or farm property is $75. For multi-residential, commercial, or industrial properties, the filing fee is $150.

A Notice of Complaint can be filed if an RFR has been completed or if it hasn’t. It can be filed if MPAC has completed its review and the property owner still disagrees with the assessed value. It can also be filed if the property owner has asked MPAC to review the assessed value and has not heard from MPAC by March 31, 2006.

More information is available by contacting MPAC directly. Property owners can also access information through MPAC’s online information and help section, “About My Property”. You can remind buyers that the tax situation can change and protect sellers if it does with a carefully worded clause. To view OREA’s “Assessment/Changes in Property Tax Amounts Due to Re-assessment” clause, go to: 
www.orea.com/multimedia/OREAAssociation_Website/Forms/OREA Clauses2005.pdf

 

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