Property Tax Negotiations & Appeal

PacWest believes in starting the process with a comprehensive review of each individual property assessment’s valuation methodology by reviewing of the assessor’s working papers and calculations. We then discuss our findings with the property taxpayer outlining our recommendations. Once a plan of action is agreed upon, we enter into proactive dialogue with the local assessment office to narrow issues of concern in an attempt to resolve any differences. This approach is preferred by the BC Assessment Authority staff as it allows both parties to focus their resources on resolving differences ultimately settling an appeal without the need for expensive and protracted appeals.

However, when dialogue and information exchanges produce no tangible results, we will seek a mandate to continue with a formal appeal. We will file all necessary appeals to the appropriate appeal bodies and prepare and attend all necessary appeal hearings to present the taxpayer’s case.

The BC Assessment Authority typically takes the position that it is the property taxpayer’s responsibility to prove that the assessed value is above market value. However, the BC Assessment Authority does not openly discuss the requirement that their assessment values must be both “fair and equitable.” Fair means that the assessed value is not above market value as at July 1 in the year of valuation. Equitable value means that the assessed value is equitably assessed at a similar rate with similar, competing properties in the taxing jurisdiction. An appeal must satisfy that the assessment value is both “fair” and “equitable” and the taxpayer is to receive the lower of the two. This means that a property may be assessed at market value but if similar properties are assessed at a lower rate, then the assessment must be reduced to an equitable value.

PacWest understands how to prepare an equitable valuation challenge based on our strategic knowledge of the BC Assessment Authority and access to real estate sales and property assessment data.

Tim Down has significant property assessment review and appeal experiences both in his former employment as a supervisory appraiser with the BC Assessment Authority and as property tax agent involved in numerous appeal board hearings as demonstrated in the Case Studies section.