Property Tax in Trinidad & Tobago

[Country_Bookie]

The property tax law/regulation/act/provision just continues to confuse me.
The question of 50% trigger seems to add to the mess since the question for me is...How do they know they reach 50% if in principle they dont know what is the number that represents 100%.

Anybody saw a definitive answer to this question in the press??

If the government can't implement the tax unless they cross the 50% threshold, this creates an incentive to households to never submit anything, so the government never achieves this target.

[ProtonPowder]

If you read the amendment bill you would have the answer in less time than it took to write that question

Typical trini behaviour

[ProtonPowder]

A bit surprised nobody post it yet

[ProtonPowder]

https://newsday.co.tt/2020/10/04/devant ... perty-tax/

Devant questions UNC on property tax

UNC activist Devant Maharaj is openly questioning the Opposition's commitment to any move by Government to implement property tax. In a video posted on Facebook on Sunday, Barataria/San Juan MP Saddam Hosein and Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchemedial sought to outline the UNC's position on property tax.

They said despite calls from Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for Government to hold its hand on implementing the tax, it seems Government will do so when Finance Minister Colm Imbert presents the 2020/2012 budget in Parliament. Hosein and Lutchemedial, who are both lawyers, said many citizens have expressed concerns to them about the tax being implemented

Hosein reiterated the UNC's view that the implementation of the tax at this time would be "unwise and harsh."

He said the consequences of not paying property tax would be severe. According to Hosein, "Government has the power to levy on your personal belongings to recover property tax. That means they can seize your appliances and your furniture to recover that tax." He also claimed, "They (Government) can sell your property to collect their property tax." Hosein explained that residential properties; commercial properties; agricultural properties; industrial properties (with plant and machinery in a building); and industrial properties (with plant and machinery not housed in a building) attract taxes of three, five, one, six, and three per cent of the annual rental value of the property, respectively.

Hosein said property taxes can only be collected with the Commissioner of Valuations advises Imber that 50 per cent of the lands in TT have been valued. He added there are questions as to what determines the criteria to indicate that this target has been achieved. Hosein explained that by law, the owner of a property is obligated to pay property tax. Lutchemedial said Housing Development Corporation (HDC) homeowners will be expected to pay property tax. .

On whether the tax would be paid retroactively, Lutchemedial recalled that September 30, 2017 was the date originally set for the collection of property taxes. Hosein and Lutchmedial were uncertain whether or not this would change when Imbert presents the budget. In Facebook post, Maharaj said, "It appears the UNC via the video (of Hosein and Lutchmedial) is promoting not protecting the citizen from the property tax."

According to Maharaj, "Instead of fighting this draconian and oppressive tax, the Opposition UNC seems they decided they should assist the Government in rolling out this tax. He claimed the statements by Hosein and Lutchmedial suggest the UNC has surrendered on the property tax.

Maharaj, who has been openly critical of the UNC since it lost the August 10 general and repeatedly called for Persad-Bissessar to resign as UNC leader, declared, "We cannot surrender to the PNM as these Opposition members have done."

[Redman]

Govt has had the ability to levy on a property for unpaid taxes....since there was a tax.
Nothing new.

[zoom rader]

Govt has had the ability to levy on a property for unpaid taxes....since there was a tax.
Nothing new.

Yeah but its aimed at Injun Land owners .

Its an Injun Tax

[Redman]

Govt has had the ability to levy on a property for unpaid taxes....since there was a tax.
Nothing new.

Yeah but its aimed at Injun Land owners .

Its an Injun Tax

Lol.

I missed your bigotry, for its base simplistic point of view

[assassin]

I am not against an increased property tax.
I do not think the previous tax was adequate.
What I am against is an illogical method of assigning a payable value.

If I buy a lot of land in westmoorings with a dilapidated house on it, it is sold at a base price due to the location and amenities associated with location

Is it rational that I pay $3500 and my neighbour pays $1500?
Do I receive water from a separate main line from my neighbour?
I drive on the same road and am serviced by the same garbage collection

What justifies such a disparity?

So allyuh bums and freeloaders never paid property tax before or even your parents ?

Yeah, it was $100 for the year...
I don't think anyone is opposing the tax, they're opposing the method of valuation and the disparity across areas that can burn a hole in their pocket further. It's like being punished for living in a particular area or type of house..

[Ben_spanna]

watch for the "exemptions" to certain taxes.... for certian age groups or people! should be interesting

[The_Honourable]

Imbert: Mandatory property tax valuation coming

Mandatory valuations are coming so that the property tax can be determined.

The Finance Minister made this announcement early in the reading of the 2020/2021 budget.

“This government has been working assiduously to produce the required valuations, notwithstanding numerous challenges," he said. "To expedite the process and validate the information, the Commissioner of Caluations will be making mandatory requests of property owners pursuant to section 29 of the Valuation of Land Act.”

He said the objective of the exercise is to start collecting the property tax in 2021.

“We continue to assure property owners that the tax will be fair,” Imbert said.

He said the property tax would focus on residential properties first and commercial and industrial properties would soon follow.

Source: https://newsday.co.tt/2020/10/05/imbert ... on-coming/

[ProtonPowder]

what about my 20' by 20' prayer room and my 10' by 10' dog kennel?

dey go kill we with tax, me cyah afford dat

:^(

[zoom rader]

Imbert: Mandatory property tax valuation coming

Mandatory valuations are coming so that the property tax can be determined.

The Finance Minister made this announcement early in the reading of the 2020/2021 budget.

“This government has been working assiduously to produce the required valuations, notwithstanding numerous challenges," he said. "To expedite the process and validate the information, the Commissioner of Caluations will be making mandatory requests of property owners pursuant to section 29 of the Valuation of Land Act.”

He said the objective of the exercise is to start collecting the property tax in 2021.

“We continue to assure property owners that the tax will be fair,” Imbert said.

He said the property tax would focus on residential properties first and commercial and industrial properties would soon follow.

Source: https://newsday.co.tt/2020/10/05/imbert ... on-coming/

Injun first to pay tax

Injun tax

[matr1x]

Weren't they sending ppl to check houses and coincident that alot of houses were then broken into.



Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

[sMASH]

Govt has had the ability to levy on a property for unpaid taxes....since there was a tax.
Nothing new.

Yeah but its aimed at Injun Land owners .

Its an Injun Tax

Lol.

I missed your bigotry, for its base simplistic point of view

Indian was selling doubles and roti in a shed side de road, and behind it was a big house.
Selling pumpkin and bodi in the market, but going home to a nice house.

Injun tax!

Injun does ban de belly, but sew bskc torn clothes and fix they house good to live.

So tax it.... More than cause u paid vat on dat.

[sMASH]

Hiw much beethsm and sealots playing in property tax?

[maj. tom]

$3.50

[MaxPower]

Weren't they sending ppl to check houses and coincident that alot of houses were then broken into.



Hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Slim,

Do they come in your house?

[zoom rader]

Govt has had the ability to levy on a property for unpaid taxes....since there was a tax.
Nothing new.

Yeah but its aimed at Injun Land owners .

Its an Injun Tax

Lol.

I missed your bigotry, for its base simplistic point of view

Indian was selling doubles and roti in a shed side de road, and behind it was a big house.
Selling pumpkin and bodi in the market, but going home to a nice house.

Injun tax!

Injun does ban de belly, but sew bskc torn clothes and fix they house good to live.

So tax it.... More than cause u paid vat on dat.

Redman doh have one arse pay, he in an HDC house

[alfa]

Hiw much beethsm and sealots playing in property tax?

Better question is who going in these areas to collect property tax? Once again it's the law abiding citizen alone who will feel the brunt

[88sins]

Govt has had the ability to levy on a property for unpaid taxes....since there was a tax.
Nothing new.

Yeah but its aimed at Injun Land owners .

Its an Injun Tax

Lol.

I missed your bigotry, for its base simplistic point of view

Indian was selling doubles and roti in a shed side de road, and behind it was a big house.
Selling pumpkin and bodi in the market, but going home to a nice house.

Injun tax!

Injun does ban de belly, but sew bskc torn clothes and fix they house good to live.

So tax it.... More than cause u paid vat on dat.

Redman doh have one arse pay, he in an HDC house

HDC will be factoring in property tax in their rentals, and for sure finance companies will do the same with their mortgages.

[VexXx Dogg]

$3.50

Threefidddyyyyy

[matr1x]

You will have to pay online. They have been pushing epayemnt for the last 2 months..


Interesting they start with residential. So my sources were right. They are beginning the land grab. I am sorry " property resettlement act" woops!

[De Dragon]

88 you throwing out Red Herrings.

BUT

I say implement the tax.....however reduce the tax to whatever level...change the formula.
While I think its reasonable in terms of 3% ArV- I take the economic points.

However the existence of a tax forces people to sign document, attest to ownership and declare beneficial interests.
It is a way to get started on the resolving land fraud-not just ministers and big wigs but also those that defraud small people.

I think we need to get going on that-22Billion in fraudulent deeds says something.

As usual the PNM will throw out the most illogical "solution" and as usual Red Plastic Bag will defend it to the hilt. This whole land ownership thing is bull, just like changing the currency was supposed to impede money laundering

[Redman]

Why is it illogical...you saying that land fraud doesn’t exist?

[MG Man]

Why is it illogical...you saying that land fraud doesn’t exist?

you dare upset all dem honest humble injun who put up rental properties with no approvals and pocketing money tax free every month?

[ProtonPowder]

ethics?

if there exists corruption somewhere in the ether, then it excuses mine

[ProtonPowder]

http://www.looptt.com/content/curbside- ... x-measures

Curbside valuations? Hosein questions property tax measures

San Juan/Barataria MP Saddam Hosein has raised questions regarding valuation measures which he said he received information on, including the use of stamp duty and curbside assessments to form valuations.

Speaking in Parliament today discussing the 2021 Budget, Hosein said he received information on a Memorandum which referred to curbside evaluations for property tax, where valuators would not have to enter the property.

‘I am further informed that valuators are conducting curbside valuations. There’s a document titled ‘Process for Use of Data by the District Revenue Office’ by the Valuation Division, to facilitate the development of the valuation role. This document was also signed off by the acting Commissioner of Valuations, dated August 11, 2020 where they are talking about curbside/roadside valuations for property and there’s a list of items that they are asking people to do…’

‘…to take photos, to take GPS coordinates, to look to see how much toilets somebody have, I don’t know how they would do that from looking outside of the building. They want to find out how much carports, pools, storage sheds if you have. They want to find out about the construction details, foundation, beams, columns, A/C.’

‘So they’re standing up by the road and taking pictures of your house to see how much air condition you have and how much bathrooms you have, and how much pool you have.’

‘This is a completely shortcut and illegal method. They have to perform the proper valuations for persons in order to get what they require in order to pay property tax.’

He said he has also received information that stamp duty calculations are being used to create valuations for property tax:

‘It has been brought to my attention that the Valuation Division is working feverishly to populate the valuation role so that the property tax can be calculated and collected.

‘Government wants to ensure that it can collect property taxes in these harsh economic times. I have a Memorandum dated September 1, 2020 [from] the Acting Commissioner of Valuations.

‘In this Memorandum, a directive has been given that they must now ramp up the valuation exercise to populate the valuation role. I am informed of the practice that is taking place at that Division right now, is that if a person submitted a deed for the purposes of stamp duty for purchasing a property or by way of deed or gift, and a value is given to determine what the stamp duty will be, the Valuation Division is now using that value placed on the stamp duty to assess your property.’

‘That is an illegal exercise that is taking place. You cannot use the value used to assess stamp duty to assess property tax. It is two different bases. One is that of market value, the other is determined on th e annual rental value. They are placing a value on your property without you completing a valuation return form, which is a requirement under the law.’

‘The purpose for which you were submitting your information was for stamp duty and not for property tax. They are using your information for another purpose. This practice must stop as it is illegal, it is a shortcut method.’

Hosein also asked how would government confirm that 50 per cent of all properties were in fact valued in order to go ahead with the process:

‘The [Finance] Minister announced that property tax is coming. According to the law, government can only collect property tax when 50 percent of the properties in Trinidad and Tobago are valued. I would like the Minister of Finance to show us the area on the maps which have been valued. Is it the 19 constituencies on this side of the House?’

‘What is the total number of properties in Trinidad and Tobago to determine 50 per cent?

During his 2021 budget presentation on October 5, Imbert said government aims to begin the collection of property tax in fiscal 2021.

He said the Commissioner of Valuations will be making mandatory requests for information from property owners in the near future.

[sMASH]

injun tax.

[zoom rader]

injun tax.

You spot on

I have been saying this for years now, this tax is aimed at Injun folk.

It is blantant racism.

Yet still proton supports this cause it is his beard and butter.

[ProtonPowder]

i go tax yuh