Waipā revaluations delayed… again

Waipā’s rating revaluations have been delayed for a second time.

In October, Council advised that its independent property provider, Quotable Value (QV), was not able to provide property revaluations until March. Now Council is faced with further delays – potentially until mid-May – while QV completes essential work.

Deputy chief executive Ken Morris said the second delay was “exasperating”.

“It’s not my place to explain why QV can’t deliver but I can say it is very, very disappointing,” Morris said.

“We are very well aware people have been expecting these revaluations and of course we need them as well because they are used by Council to help set an equitable distribution of rates for coming years.”

Morris said Council was pressing QV hard for a new date and hoped to have more certainty by late next week. As soon as Council had a confirmed date, they would advise it, he said.

But he noted the Office of the Valuer General (OVG), the government body that oversees all rating valuations, also needs to certify all Waipā rating valuations, before they can be released.

“That’s another step in the process that is simply beyond Council’s control.”

New property values will be based on the most likely selling price as at August 1, 2022. Valuations will be used by Council to help set the equitable distribution of rates for the 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26 rating year. They are not intended to be used as market valuations.

If owners do not agree with their new rating valuation, they will have a right to object. Information on how to object will be provided alongside the revaluation information when it is released.