By Emily Visser
SEVEN public meetings have been scheduled to advise owners of flats and townhouses in the city of the impact the implementation of the City's new General Valuation Roll and the new Rates Policy will have on them.
The City estimates that around 155 000 sectional title property owners will be affected when the new valuation roll and policy come into effect in July 2008.
According to the Municipal Property Rates Act (MPRA) promulgated in 2004, every sectional title property owner must now receive a separate rates account. In the past, rates were charged to the body corporate.
Erika Naude, director for rates and taxes in the City said the meetings will target managing agents, chairpersons and trustees of body corporates as well as individual owners of Sectional Title properties. Naude and director for valuations, Werner Sarvari, together with city officials from the revenue management directorate will address the gathering.
"We will also have a speaker from the National Association of Sectional Title Managing Agents who will give further information on what body corporates will have to do to prepare for the implementation of the MPRA," she said.
Critical issues to be discussed will include clearance certificates for sectional title properties, arrear debt on sectional title properties after July 2008, exclusive use rights, common property areas and postal addresses for sectional title property owners.
Sarvari said the City was unable to determine the allocation of exclusive use rights and common property areas and needs managing agents or owners to provide this information. Because accounts were sent to body corporates in the past, individual sectional title owners will also need to supply postal information so that they can receive their own accounts.
"The draft General Valuation Roll has been made available to the public for inspection and comment. Sectional Title property owners can also check the market value assigned to their properties," Sarvari pointed out.
The public and media are invited to attend these meetings. The roll, once finalised, will form the basis on which rates are levied on municipal account holders in the City.
Parks Tau, member of the mayoral committee responsible for finance and economic development said he would like to encourage all property owners to visit the City's website at www.joburg.org.za and check the draft valuation of their property. "This is important because once the roll is finalised, objections can only take place through a specific, legally determined process".
Meetings are scheduled as follows:
| MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2007 – 7pm Northcliff Primary School 176 Weltevreden Road Northcliff |
MONDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2007 – 7pm Ernest Ullman Park Recreation Centre Minto Road Morningside Manor Sandton |
| TUESDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2007 – 7pm Mosaiek Lifestyle Church Mezzanine Hall Danielle Street (off 14th Avenue) Fairland |
WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2007 – 7pm Halfway House Primary School 291 Van Heerden Rd (cnr &th Street) Halfway Gardens Midrand |
| THURSDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2007 – 7pm Yeoville Recreation Centre Corner Raleigh and Fortesque Streets Yeoville |
TUESDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2007 – 7pm Laerskool Dalmondeor 222 Calanbria Drive Mondeor |
| MONDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2007 – 7pm Paterson Park RecreatonHall 7th Street Orange Grove |
The public can call 011 375 5555 (option 7 for Rates Policy) for more information or direct their queries and comments via e-mail to the valuation services directorate at valuationenquiries@joburg.org.za or ratespolicy@joburg.org.za.
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