Property Tax Increase Notice

Millstone · #1 Posted **Oct 3, 2008, 5:20 AM**

"Over this 3-year period, your property's value changed by: $34,000"

omro · #2 Posted **Nov 5, 2008, 6:08 PM**

Thought this was the more apt place to post this.

While visiting we saw a house that we might be buying, but not necessarily living in immediately.

In the UK you don't have to pay council taxes on empty buildings. Is that true in Hamilton also?

raisethehammer · #3 Posted **Nov 5, 2008, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

Thought this was the more apt place to post this.

While visiting we saw a house that we might be buying, but not necessarily living in immediately.

In the UK you don't have to pay council taxes on empty buildings. Is that true in Hamilton also?

do you mean if you buy a house, but don't live in it for a while?
If so, then no, you have to pay the taxes as soon as you buy it.

omro · #4 Posted **Nov 5, 2008, 6:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

do you mean if you buy a house, but don't live in it for a while?
If so, then no, you have to pay the taxes as soon as you buy it.

A house in an empty and uninhabitable condition (which I'm lead to believe just means no furnishings) is not required to pay council taxes.

holymoly · #5 Posted **Nov 5, 2008, 7:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

A house in an empty and uninhabitable condition (which I'm lead to believe just means no furnishings) is not required to pay council taxes.

No such luck here.

FairHamilton · #6 Posted **Nov 5, 2008, 7:20 PM**

Here you'll have to pay property taxes no matter if the home is occupied, or not. The vacant home 2 doors north of my house has been vacant for approx. 20 years and they pay taxes every year on the house. Ironically it's actually assessed to be worth more than my inhabited house.

The only way to reduce the taxes is to remove the building (i.e. tear it down).

That's one of the reasons the developers (property squatters) downtown have torn down so many buildings and replaced them with parking lots. It reduced their property taxes in addition to providing them with parking revenue.

omro · #7 Posted **Nov 5, 2008, 7:36 PM**

the word... is... bugger.

oldcoote · #8 Posted **Nov 5, 2008, 7:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

That's one of the reasons the developers (property squatters) downtown have torn down so many buildings and replaced them with parking lots. It reduced their property taxes in addition to providing them with parking revenue.

Actually, the trend downtown is simply not to pay your taxes at all, and just go into arrears.

It's not like the city does anything about it anyway. They'd probably give you a grant.