Forms To Be Sent Out For Land Valuation List
With the Land Valuation Department set to prepare a new Valuation List to be published on December 31, 2020, land taxpayers on the island will be receiving residential, commercial and tourist survey forms this month.
A Government spokesperson said, “The public is reminded that the Land Valuation and Tax Act 1967 requires the Land Valuation Department to prepare a new Valuation List every five years to document changes in rental levels throughout the island.
“The next Valuation List is due to be published on 31st December 2020. As part of an island- wide revaluation process, the Department must collect information about properties, including data on rents, to prepare the new 2020 Valuation List.
“During October 2019, the Department will be sending out residential, commercial and tourist survey forms to all land taxpayers on the island.
“Included with the forms is a prepaid return envelope. The survey forms should be completed and returned to the Department within 21 days after the date of service.
“It is important that everyone who receives a survey form completes and returns it to the Land Valuation Department, as this is a legal requirement. The information collected will be treated as confidential and will be used solely for the purpose of the revaluation exercise and not shared with any other entity.
“Anyone requiring assistance with completing the forms can visit the Department’s website www.landvaluation.bm and follow the guidance provided on the 2020 Revaluation page. Additionally, individuals can call the help line on 297-7964 for the residential survey forms, or 294-0478 for the commercial and tourist survey forms.
“Individuals can also take the survey form directly to the Land Valuation Department on the second floor of Global House, 43 Church Street, Hamilton, where a member of staff will be happy to assist.”
I seriously hope that Land Valuation acts according to the law and revalues homes accordingly. Bermuda has been in a massive slump regarding home values and hence annual rental values for many years.
My estimate is 20-30% down in most instances.
Therefore, land tax must decrease in conjunction with decreasing home values.
I would support a class action suit against the government if this doesn’t occur.
I own a home in the US and see land tax go up and down over the last 3 decades. On Bermuda it’s never happened in my lifetime.
This is simply wrong and must be challenged legally.
Spot on! If anything, I would suggest houses have lost close to 50% of their value over the last 20 years but will government ever admit or acknowledge this fact? Unlikely, the never ending pursuit of more and more taxes to fund their first class travel and $150k salaries will continue until everyone with the ability to leave will have left to greener [no pun intended] and fairer pastures.
If it’s being delivered by the post office they need to add three weeks each way.
In 2019, I would expect that the antiquated method of mailing a prepaid return envelope and a paper survey to each and every household in Bermuda which costs the taxpayer money could easily be replaced by some kind of online survey?
Not sustaianable, waste of taxpayers’ money (that we don’t have), not to mention time consuming for everyone involved having to go to the post office etc. We are in 2019!!!
I agree. there is no way that a house is still worth now what it was ten to 15 years ago. Property has dropped off a cliff. Land valuation need to decrease valuations NOW! All this Government knows how to do is increase taxes!! Do what is right Government or you will feel it at the polls.