Durban prepares for valuations

The city of Durban says it will not repeat mistakes made in the past as it prepares for its next round of property evaluations.

The next valuation roll will be in July 2012. This will be the second round of valuations since the Municipal Property Rates Act No 6 of 2004 was implemented two years ago.

A report by the Real Estate Department at the municipality was submitted to its Executive Committee. The Valuation Roll Department would conduct the residential general valuation and a tender would be prepared and advertised for the non-residential aspect.

The report recommended that from experience and best practice the best date for valuation was a year before the date of implementation of the valuation roll - July 2012.

According to the act, before the valuation begins, a person must be appointed as the municipal valuer and this person may be a municipal official or a person in private practice.

"It's vital that the quality of the proposed valuation base is ensured and that the integrity of current systems is not compromised. Further, a coherent communication strategy needs to be developed and liaison with all stakeholders effectively managed to facilitate public goodwill and co-operation," the report read.

From this, it was recommended that a municipal official, the present municipal valuer Graham Baillache, be appointed the municipal valuer in terms of the act.

Speaking to the Daily News yesterday on controversies surrounding the first round of valuations, Baillache said "it was something new for everyone, the staff and the public".

Controversies over the first round of valuations included identical council houses given different valuations. Some home owners' rates sky-rocketed and as a result led to several objections from the public.

Daily News

Posted at 08:00AM Mar 11, 2010 by Editor in Residential  |  Comments[2]