Do you believe that your real estate taxes too high? Why not appeal your tax bill as a group? Under Florida Law, a condominium association can file a property tax appeal petition on behalf of all of the unit owners in the condominium. Once a petition is filed, the Value Adjustment Board sets the case for hearing in front of a Special Magistrate. If the unit owner has already paid their taxes, the tax collector will issue a refund. Taxes must be paid in full by April 1 or any tax savings will be lost and the higher value will be reinstated.
Why appeal as a group? The Association attorney may have knowledge of the history of the building, foreclosures, claims against the developer, the condition and/or use of surrounding properties, neighborhood characteristics, and whether or not the property has significant structural damage or is in need of repair. All of these factors may contribute toward a reduction in the appraised value of the property and subsequently, the tax bill.
There are important deadlines to keep in mind however. TRIM notices which advise you of the amount of your property taxes will be mailed to property owners in the next two weeks. The filing deadline is 25 days from the mailing of the TRIM notice, not the receipt of the notice. TRIM Notices go out in Miami-Dade and Broward on August 24 and petitions are due on September 18. Don’t blow the deadline!
If the association files on behalf of all unit owners, the filing fee charged by the county is $15 for the first unit and $5 per unit thereafter. The statute provides all unit owners with the right to opt-out of the appeal.
There are no attorney’s fees charged unless the appeal results in successfully reducing the property taxes. Give us a call for help.