Stop overpaying on your rates and taxes!
Municipal property valuations directly affect how much you pay in rates and taxes
Rateswatch helps South African residential and commercial property owners track and review valuation information, and lodge objections – all in one secure portal.
What we offer
Our team of experts is here to assist you with everything required to lodge an objection with the municipality, as well as monitor future valuations on your behalf. We understand the legislation and the processes involved and take care of everything for you.
Missed the objection window? We can still help - it’s never too late to apply!
For Individuals
Are your property rates too high but struggling to get assistance from your municipality?
We can help.
For Corporates
Are you managing corporate properties and need to continually ensure that the valuations and rates are correct? We provide an ongoing, comprehensive service to ensure you are never faced with municipality hassles.
How it Works
Free Registration
- Registering on the Rates Watch system is the first step towards you ensuring that your municipal property valuation is correct and that you are paying the correct amount of rates on your property.
- Once you have registered, you will be able to search for properties that have been registered at any Deeds Office in South Africa and assign them to your profile. You may assign multiple properties to your profile.
- As a registered user you will also be notified of notices calling for objections to a valuation roll, new valuations, and valuation related news.
Screening
- Before an objection can be lodged, Rates Watch will undertake a screening of your property to determine if there are grounds for an objection.
- The screening aims to determine the correct value and category for your property. If it is incorrect we will advise proceeding with a dispute (valuation review, objection or appeal).
- Rates Watch will then analyse the value of your property and provide you with a provisional value.
- Based on this screening, we will recommend whether to lodge an objection (if it is within the objection period), apply for a valuation review (outside of the objection period), or if there are no grounds for objection.
Please note: Fees payable will vary depending on the category (residential, business and commercial, industrial, etc.) and nature of the property.
Valuation Review/Objection
(Fees payable will be quoted once the outcome of step 2 is known)
- If the screening process indicates that action should be taken, Rates Watch will either begin the objection process or the valuation review process, depending on whether valuations are open for objections.
Valuation Review
- If the objection period is already closed and you have missed the opportunity to lodge an objection, Rates Watch will prepare and lodge a request for a supplementary valuation in terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act. Once a decision has been made by the municipal valuer, if the property has been included in the supplementary valuation roll, we will then analyse the entry and recommend whether an objection should be lodged.
Objection
- Objections must be submitted within the prescribed period. Once the objection has been considered by the municipal valuer, we will recommend whether it must be accepted or an appeal should be lodged.
If you do not object, you cannot lodge an appeal.
Appeal
(Fees payable will be quoted once the outcome of step 3 is known and an appeal is recommended)
- If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Municipal Valuer during the objection process or if the reasons for his decision are unacceptable, an appeal to the Valuation Appeal Board has to be submitted.
- The Valuation Appeal Board is an independent body appointed by the Provincial Government.
- Rates Watch will lodge the appeal and represent you at the hearing of the matter at the appeal board.
- The decision of the appeal board is final and can only be contested in the High Court.