By Stephanie Villella

Local woman’s property tax increases due to assessment error

Jul 20, 2017 | 4:33 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A local woman is paying for an assumption made by the city.  

When Julie Tracey opened her property tax assessment Monday, she noticed that she now is going to pay $205.69 more every month because the value of her home increased $120,000.

Tracey thought that was interesting because no adjustments were made to her house.  Confused, she called the city and was told that, due to a reclassification of her deck and the renovations made to her basement and garage, her property value went up.

However, Tracey’s basement and garage have not been finished.

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When she inquired about how they came to that, the man asked her if she filled out her self assessment which had been mailed out a year ago.

She did not.

“I don’t really remember getting that,” Tracey said.  “I could’ve got it not realizing what it was, threw it out.”

A self assessment is sent out to select neighbourhoods every five years “where the owner has a chance to have a say in their assessment in the assessment details,” said Sue Sterkenburg, an accessor with the City of Medicine Hat.

Homeowners have 30 days to submit their assessment.  If they do not send it in, the city sends an assessor to the home.

That is what happened to Tracey.

“I was not home when the assessor came, so I was told he that he did an external inspection,” she explained.  “And based off this external inspection, he came to the conclusion that I had finished my basement and my garage, which have not been done.”

When Tracey explained that her basement and garage have not been renovated, the city staff member agreed the city made an error.

Sterkenburg said that when an assessor cannot get inside the home, the assessor will make assumptions about the home based on the houses they did an interior assessment on in the neighbourhood.

Once the homeowner receives the assessment, they have 60 days to dispute any wrong information. This year, the deadline was May 1.

Unfortunately, Tracey missed the deadline and now the city is unable to rectify the error until next year.

Sterkenburg said the onus is on the homeowner to review the assessment and contact the assessor if any changes need to be made.

Now Tracey will be paying up to $2,460 more this year for her property tax that was wrongly assessed. 

“Two hundred dollars a month is a lot, especially in an economy where we’re in a recession,” Tracey said desperately.  “So we’re going to have to figure out where we’re going to cut back to come up with that.”

Although Tracey is displeased with the city, she is hoping that her story will educate others.

“If you get a self assessment, make sure you fill it in and send it to the city,” she explained.  “When in February your property assessment comes, make sure you look at it and make sure you’re satisfied with your findings.  And if you’re not, that is what you need to dispute by April 30th.”

Sterkenburg has reminded that commercial and industrial owners have until August 1 to submit their self assessments.

Tracey said this mistake has made her lose trust in the city.  She is hopeful the city will be able to give her credit for overpaying this year.

“I just want the city to do that right thing,” she said.  “I mean I’m being completely rational and level headed and using my common sense.  And that’s all I’m asking in return.”