Help needed with rates and taxes

[blah99]

I urgently need some help from you clever people.

My house was wrongfully valuated by City of joburg in July 2008. It was valued at 7 million. Some idiot added a zero to the value amount (house was bought for 793 000). I have been trying since July 2008 to get this rectified, but to this day they still tell me I owe them rates of about R50 000, backdated to July 2008 since I refused to pay untill they rectify my account with the correct value of my house.

The amount I should be owing at this stage is about R5000 and not R50 000. I even spoke to the assistand director who informed me they cant do anything and I must pay the rates for a 7 million house. Now I have to pay for THEIR mistakes. I dont know what to do or who to ask anymore. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[blunomore]

Have your attorney send them a letter.

 

[Chris_H]

Have your attorney send them a letter.

+1

 

[Budza]

Once again, at your cost. They fsck up, you pay. Legal fees now are still cheaper than paying what they want you to though.

Any chance you can deduct legal fees etc from what you owe?? Blu??

 

[blunomore]

Once again, at your cost. They fsck up, you pay. Legal fees now are still cheaper than paying what they want you to though.

Any chance you can deduct legal fees etc from what you owe?? Blu??

Only when it goes to court and you win the case, in which event you can have costs awarded to you, i.e. the local govt must pay your legal costs as well as their own.

 

[Budza]

That is still hardly satisfactory. Time out of office etc as court date/appearance gets shuffled around will never be recovered.

Tough luck man. This is when, next time there is an error in your favour, you take it and run. Swings and roundabouts...

 

[blah99]

Thanks for all the responses. The assistant director gave me the contact details of the valuater director. Will contact him tomorrow. I dont have much hope though.