Unreasonable valuation of property

Errol Wagner, George:

I was shocked to receive the revised valuation of my house in Blue Mountain Village. I bought my house for R1,1million 4 years ago and it is 183m2 in size, one of the smaller houses - the revised valuation is R1,9-million.

In spite of protesting the valuation in writing twice, with valid reasons, my protest was ignored and the valuation remains at this amount, and what is surprising is that houses far bigger than mine are valued lower. Now I have received my rates account - up from R545 to R918, an increase of 68%.

How does the municipality justify this?

I am a pensioner on a fixed income, so I may have to sell. When I protested by phone the lady in the valuation department, Anieta Scheepers, [she was very pleasant and helpful] told me that the valuators "applied their minds", but it seems to me that they did not apply their eyes because if they had, they would have seen the valuation is out of line.

I was assured the valuator would give me reasons for my high valuation, [perhaps I am sitting on a gold mine]. To date I have heard nothing.

George Municipal Manager Trevor Botha replies:

The relevant municipal department is in contact with the appealer and the matter will be taken up with the home owner directly.