Rocky View County (RVC) professional assessors will be out in force this summer, updating assessed property values and collecting information to ensure everyone in the county pays their fair share on property and education taxes.
“While properties are assessed year-round, the majority are completed in the summer months,” said Manager of Communication Services Grant Kaiser.
According to Kaiser, all municipalities are required by the provincial government to regularly inspect properties to establish an assessed value. The 2018 property assessments will be used for the 2019 tax year.
An average of 20 per cent of RVC properties undergo an in-person physical assessment, Kaiser said. Once all properties have been physically assessed, the cycle starts over.
“Most people won’t know they’ve been assessed,” he said. “Inspectors are looking for changes to the property, and much of that work can be done visually – from the roadside – without needing access to the property.”
In some cases, however, assessment inspectors may need to measure buildings, photograph exteriors or gather details regarding interior components and use of the property. Kaiser said those situations occur typically with new subdivisions, properties where building or development permits have been issued or properties that appear different to the County’s current assessment records. Additionally, he said, assessors may visit properties that have recently been sold or purchased.
“RVC is aware of concerns about rural property crime, so all assessment inspectors drive marked County vehicles and carry photo identification,” Kaiser said.
According to Kaiser, RVC is not aware of anyone impersonating a property assessor, but he said residents and business owners are welcome to contact RVC at 403-230-1401 to verify the identity of an inspector. Assessors will only conduct in-person assessments between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Kaiser said the County appreciates residents working with assessors.
“If County assessors do need access to a property, they work with residents and business owners to make the visit as convenient as possible,” he said. “By law, the assessment must be done, and when assessors and residents can work together, the process is quick and straightforward. In the end, it’s all about making sure no one pays more in taxes than they should, and no one pays less.”
