Property owners in the Metro are still coming to grips with the recent General Valuation Roll (2017) released by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM).
In terms of Section 2(1) of the Local Government: Municipal Property Rates Act. No 6 of 2004 (MPRA), a municipality may levy a rate on property in its area of jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of the MPRA. Rates are levied in accordance with Section 11 of the MPRA and is an amount in Rand based on the market value and category as recorded by the NMBM in their valuation roll. In other words, should there be an increase in either the value of your property and/or rates tariff (determined by the NMBM) the property rates amount will increase. The increase in the rates tariff is an annual exercise and requires Council approval whereas the assessment of property values is an exercise which takes place over a 4 year cycle period.
During May this year the municipality issued notices to property owners advising of a market value attaching to their properties. In such notice property owners were informed of the increase simultaneously with their right to object thereto on or before the 1st of July 2017, with this period being extended for a further short period.
Around 3800 objections were lodged by owners. Such objections have either been considered or are currently being considered, with notices setting out the outcome of each objection being posted to an owner. Should the municipality agree with the submissions made in your objection they will update their records accordingly and credit your account in respect of additional rates paid from 1 July 2017.
Owners who considered their valuation to be unrealistic and, for whatever reason, failed to file an objection within the prescribed period of time were able to address the matter by way of a request to the municipality to review such valuation. For more information regarding property valuations contact Andrew Paterson on 041-506 3737 or apaterson@blclaw.co.za
