View Full Version : Joburg rates and taxes issues
RandomGRK
07-07-2009, 10:00 AM
Hey,
All who live in Joburg and own a property have surely had a problem with the City of Joburg. Especially rates and taxes. For the past 3 months they have been "investigating" my issue. Problem is this: They are charging my about 3 times my actual rate because they have me as a sectional title business. Phone calls and emails dont work and frankly, visiting them will be a waste of time.
I have already paid them R3500 whereas I should have only given them about R1500.
I seriously have no idea where or who to turn to. They are threatening to cut me off but I dont think they will.
My question is twofold.
Has anyone had this issue and resolved it and how?
Does anyone know of a company that deals with this sort of thing?
Cheers
davemc
07-07-2009, 10:07 AM
You have to visit them just to ascertain the correct procedure to follow to have the incorrect classification fixed.
I am on step 2 of getting my house valuation assessment moved to the correct location.
The assessment register lists the house as being in eden dale, whereas the hous eis in edenvale. The 2 areas are opposites, with huge differences in rates.
Step 1 : Get the correct form to fill in.
Step 2 : Post it to the correct person registered mail.
I am trying valiantly to find out who that person is, unfortunately, nobody is actually responsible for anything. I may just have to post it directly to the minister.
RandomGRK
07-07-2009, 10:45 AM
But thats the point. I could visit them and get the form and post it to the correct person but their backlog is so huge they cant get through all the requests they receive. I have logged the issues on the e-services, telephonically and in email.
The problem is they keep charging my account and apparently I owe them almost R8000 for a 66m2 sectional title in Houghton Estate valued at R426000. Thats absolutely mad. lol. Also, I have received three statements and each one has been different.
eish this is scaring the crap outta me ! i'm due to buy property within this month similar to yours! 66m2 complex valued a little over your's ... the estate agent told me the rates (together with the levies) etc shouldn't be more than R800 or so ... if it's double that then budget is going to be a little tricky ....
RandomGRK
07-07-2009, 12:17 PM
My property is actually valued at R550000 but they havent updated that yet and im not about to tell them ;)
Most body corporates dont include rates and taxes in the levies. My advice would be to approach the body corp yourself and ask how it works. Agents usually dont know or have outdated information.
All I can say is that the second you buy the property and if your rates are seperate with your levy, register your sectional title with City of Joburg.
My property is actually valued at R550000 but they havent updated that yet and im not about to tell them ;)
Most body corporates dont include rates and taxes in the levies. My advice would be to approach the body corp yourself and ask how it works. Agents usually dont know or have outdated information.
All I can say is that the second you buy the property and if your rates are seperate with your levy, register your sectional title with City of Joburg.
please excuse my ignorance here but what good will that do ?
is it cheaper if you register it yourself ?
RandomGRK
07-07-2009, 12:58 PM
Well, until I registered my property I was not receiving my statements. Once I registered the damage had been done and had a backlog of unpaid rates (rates that were incorrect) from July 2008
From my experience you need to tell them who you are and where you live so they can send you the statements. They will already be charging that unit as from the last payment date they received from the previous owner. (i think). My body corp sent out an attachment received form City of Joburg with all the units unpaid rates and taxes. Out of about 300 + units only a handful have a good balance. Everyone else is a few thousand rands in the red because most people are still unaware that they should be paying
Its all completely baffling. City of Joburg are all over the place. Its a complete mess.
Thats why I was asking if anyone knows of any companies that can sort this out for me.
hmmm i see...thanks for the info, will do that for sure !
i'll let you know if there's an easy way as well if i come across it,
Our property changed hands twice before the sectional title legislation came into play and COJ still has us as the owners. We are now being threatened with legal action for an account of R6000+. The Managing agents don't feel that is their problem, eventhough the account is being sent to there post box address. Any suggestions on how to resolve, as getting through to COJ is another story!!
DreamKing
30-06-2010, 09:43 PM
let me tell you my story ......
five years ago, city power installed a meter to me ...... but they never billed me.
I "continuously" contacted them ...... "please bill me" for next two years -> result: nothing happened.
up to right now, I paid "nothing" for my "electricity bill" and they have no interested to charge me. (it is not I don’t want to pay …. It is nothing I can do if they don’t want to charge me. :D)
my best advice: "employ a lawyer", beside that, nothing you can do. :)