Property Tax in Trinidad & Tobago

[matr1x]

I think it's time we get a list of those living in hdc houses

[adnj]

Can't assign/assume a value of a property based solely on what houses look like in a given area, without at least a successful site visit, or a plan of the building. Any such assessment is prone to be erroneous. Can't use aerial photography to assess a value either. And they can't walk around taking images of ppl houses without their consent either. That's a serious invasion of privacy, any citizen could put the valuation division on court for that. That's why they ask you for a picture of your house, and not say they will send people to take images.

Actually they can. The square footage can also be estimated by the amount of electricity that is used. That sets the baseline and it gets updated over the years. I would expect the tax valuable to update every 1 or 2 years. The values can be adjusted again when the property is sold.

An image from the street is in the public domain and is uncontrolled. Unless a person's visage is recorded, there are no legal issues. This is what Google Street View does.

If you have any friends that do housing evaluations, talk to them. Most of them can tell you how much a building is worth by knowing it's address and looking at the facade. It won't be exact but it will probably be within 20-30%. That's probably accurate enough for a tax bill.

[nervewrecker]

I see a guy fence his place, plant a pole with his meter and have a connection to a small little container. Looks like a canopy from a 2 door vehicle with a front door.
Tax according to the rental value of that.

I gunna do the same

[car]

Yuh feel so car?
Yuh Kno there's a provision in the act that allows for routine re-evaluations iirc every 2 years.

So potentially, every 2 years your assessed rental value could go up, according to what ppl renting their apt/house for in your area.

Well they going to do something to make up for the loss of income. I sure about that. Only time will tell.
Let me look at the bright side of things. Only 40-50 more years again and all meh problems will be over.

[De Dragon]

Can't assign/assume a value of a property based solely on what houses look like in a given area, without at least a successful site visit, or a plan of the building. Any such assessment is prone to be erroneous. Can't use aerial photography to assess a value either. And they can't walk around taking images of ppl houses without their consent either. That's a serious invasion of privacy, any citizen could put the valuation division on court for that. That's why they ask you for a picture of your house, and not say they will send people to take images.

Actually they can. The square footage can also be estimated by the amount of electricity that is used. That sets the baseline and it gets updated over the years. I would expect the tax valuable to update every 1 or 2 years. The values can be adjusted again when the property is sold.

An image from the street is in the public domain and is uncontrolled. Unless a person's visage is recorded, there are no legal issues. This is what Google Street View does.

If you have any friends that do housing evaluations, talk to them. Most of them can tell you how much a building is worth by knowing it's address and looking at the facade. It won't be exact but it will probably be within 20-30%. That's probably accurate enough for a tax bill.

That is the key problem. If I have a 10 X 10 but I have A/C, dryer, water pump an other high current demand devices, what then? Similarly, if I live in Westmoorings but I have said 10 X 10, what then?
ARV is a stupid, subjective way to tax people.

[RedVEVO]

^^^
By the time they finish in Court it will be 2020.

Rowley thinks the "executive" in charge .

He forget there is a Parliament . And a judiciary .

The game now it to attack the Judges.

And to appoint stooges .

And to continue to raise tax, tax, tax.

Again,
Axe the Tax

[De Dragon]

Dais uml twin. Sure sure

Surprised at how much the government " can't" do according to some posters. I wonder how much door to door occurred under the land and building taxes?

Morning PNMites! ,morning! Howdy do?

[88sins]

If you have any friends that do housing evaluations, talk to them. Most of them can tell you how much a building is worth by knowing it's address and looking at the facade. It won't be exact but it will probably be within 20-30%. That's probably accurate enough for a tax bill.

Yeah I know that most valuators look at the s.f., location & facade of buildings in calculating their valuation. But that's inherently flawed, because an accurate valuation should be the only thing that's acceptable, not a guesstimate. For example, say there's a house in carenage on a hill, the outside is 95% finished, but the inside is just a big empty space, and there are cracks in the floor due to soil movement or a water undermining the foundation, that property would receive a valuation that's much higher than it should be. So you see, the idea is, either do it the right way, or don't do it at all. Using 40% of the information, to come up with 70%-80% of a value and expecting ppl to accept that as accurate ant true is nuttn but bulls hit.


And that dotish idea of using electricity consumption as a means of estimating the size of a house, even more bulls hit. Change the exterior lights around your home and use some big 2000 watt bulbs, and leave an a/c on in every room 24/7 with your doors and windows open, see if your T&TEC bill don't get skyrocket. Did those bulbs or a/c units make your house get bigger? Using a property's power consumption as a means to estimate it's value is basically saying that that appliances and electrical fittings and consumables increase the value of a house/building.

You could swallow that if you want, if that's what ppl tell you. That's your prerogative. Just don't expect everyone else to be so willing to accept that nonsense as honest or fair or accurate.

[sMASH]

The tax based on the value of ur house was already taken via VAT.
I would tax based on the value of a property in any case.

All that should be done is calculate ur square area of ur land a d multiply that by the use of the land.
And that's ur tax, to provide garbage collection, road paving, comfort police, signage, lights, water etc.

[adnj]

I'm not saying that it's honest or fair or whatever. The fact is that the methods used are subjective. Very subjective. And these are the methods used by most tax boards in the Western hemisphere. I have no idea what methods will be used for this latest go-round in Trinidad but I wouldn't expect it to be much different or better.

Trinidad's laws, in general, are more subjective than any that I have ever seen outside of Africa. Look at the window tint regulation for example.

I doubt that whatever happens next is going to make many people happy but something is about to happen. You may have paid VAT for your bricks when you got them but I expect that you're going to be paying tax on that house come September this year... and every year after that. And after you're dead, your kids will pay it for you.

[car]

I'm not saying that it's honest or fair or whatever. The fact is that the methods used are subjective. Very subjective. And these are the methods used by most tax boards in the Western hemisphere. I have no idea what methods will be used for this latest go-round but I wouldn't expect it to be much different.

Trinidad's laws, in general, are more subjective than any that I have ever seen outside of Africa. Look at the window tint regulation for example.

I doubt that whatever happens next is going to make many people happy. You may have paid VAT for your bricks when you got them but you're going to be paying tax on that house come September this year... and every year after that. And after you're dead, your kids will pay it for you.

Yep

[RedVEVO]

^^^^

Come September nobody paying property taxes .

Again,
Axe the Tax.

[88sins]

I doubt that whatever happens next is going to make many people happy but something is about to happen. You may have paid VAT for your bricks when you got them but I expect that you're going to be paying tax on that house come September this year... and every year after that. And after you're dead, your kids will pay it for you.

Well, i don't expect everyone to be happy with everything.
And I do pay VAT on most things I buy, happily.

But if you expect ME to pay that property tax come September, you gonna need to either lower your expectations or also expect to be disappointed, cuz I not paying it. After I dead, I wouldn't care who does what or why.

All I want from Rowley, Imbert, Al Rawi, or any other pnm supporting jackass, is one valid reason anyone should pay that property tax while it's in its current format, with its defective valuation process and penalties that are only going to make the working class citizens life harder. Give me one valid reason why the state​ should be allowed to force the hardworking citizens of this nation to pay them, for something the state never helped them to acquire or maintain, defaulting which they plan to deprive that hardworking citizen of what he worked for, for himself and his family for generations to come . And don't tell me that it's to finance the regional corporations, cuz in its present form, they won't see a black cent of that revenue.

Now as a worst cace scenario, if NOBODY pays that tax, what you feel they gonna do besides not a damn thing?
Lock up everyone? They don't have the room in prisons or resources to upkeep them. Candle costing more than the funeral.
Penalty for everyone? We ain't paying the tax, we go pay the penalty?
Seize everybody house? Yeah, most likely and watch vagrancy/homelessness skyrocket, as well as be forced to shell out billions in revenue to rehabilitate them and their families, in addition to crime reaching unprecedented levels.. And that's in addition to most likely losing revenue from other taxes they've been collecting from us all over the decades. Because if a person has nowhere for themselves​ and their family to live, it's almost impossible to hold a job, and even if they do, you can bet they won't be paying PAYE, NIS or H/S. And there's also the little issue of how THEY THEMSELVES gonna look, especially to the UN, US, &IMF when they go begging for loans and handouts.

All I saying is this,
Toss that property tax act, in addition to those that made it, as well as those that want to force it on people, and all those that support it into the most suitable place for it. A latrine. Then, start over from scratch. Beginning with local government reform, and allow the regional corporations to administer it and collect it and utilize it, so that the people that paying said tax will see the value of their contributions within the communities across the nation.

If they not interested in that, I personally not paying any tax, filling out any form, or allowing anyone on any of my properties, regardless of who sent them or why. Whoever​ eh like it go hadda learn to live with it.

[shake d livin wake d dead]

How much people would willing submit those forms...seriously ????

[car]

Now I don't support this tax but consider what happens when you don't submit this form. I got this info from a valuator that works with the property tax system.
A valuator will come in front the house from the road and look at the property try to figure out the size and estimate and put you in the highest tax bracket. Now this will only happen after not being able to make contact or you not assisting by providing info.
When you get your tax you will realise it way more than it suppose to be. It going to be a long process to get it back down to the correct cost. Interest will build and you have to pay it during that time.
He also say that they are prepared for all the smart man tactics that Trinidadians will try to beat the system. He said millions was spent to get this tax system in place so they looking to get their money back.

[airuma]

Now I don't support this tax but consider what happens when you don't submit this form. I got this info from a valuator that works with the property tax system.
A valuator will come in front the house from the road and look at the property try to figure out the size and estimate and put you in the highest tax bracket. Now this will only happen after not being able to make contact or you not assisting by providing info.
When you get your tax you will realise it way more than it suppose to be. It going to be a long process to get it back down to the correct cost. Interest will build and you have to pay it during that time.
He also say that they are prepared for all the smart man tactics that Trinidadians will try to beat the system. He said millions was spent to get this tax system in place so they looking to get their money back.

What exactly they spent the millions on? Clearly not on intelligent employees!

[car]

Now I don't support this tax but consider what happens when you don't submit this form. I got this info from a valuator that works with the property tax system.
A valuator will come in front the house from the road and look at the property try to figure out the size and estimate and put you in the highest tax bracket. Now this will only happen after not being able to make contact or you not assisting by providing info.
When you get your tax you will realise it way more than it suppose to be. It going to be a long process to get it back down to the correct cost. Interest will build and you have to pay it during that time.
He also say that they are prepared for all the smart man tactics that Trinidadians will try to beat the system. He said millions was spent to get this tax system in place so they looking to get their money back.

What exactly they spent the millions on? Clearly not on intelligent employees!

I believe the tax system and documents is computerized. System linked to WASA and T&tec. They already have the computerized listing of everyone's WASA payments.
Links to BIR. Those that have internet and email can pay online. Your property tax can be viewed through ttconnect website when the system is fully running just like your income tax right now. And then the hardware to run theses system.
I'm sure there is more but that's all I know so far.

[88sins]

What exactly they spent the millions on? Clearly not on intelligent employees!

Of course not, is only we supposed to "tighten your belt" to the point you get cut in 2, and exercise wise spending choices.
car, you saying they​ spent millions on the implementation of this, spent it on what exactly? WASA and T&TEC are both state enterprises, so the data was always there, so they spent millions on what? Data processing? Electronic system and interface development? PNM financier wallet padding?

[car]

What exactly they spent the millions on? Clearly not on intelligent employees!

Of course not, is only we supposed to "tighten your belt" to the point you get cut in 2, and exercise wise spending choices.
car, you saying they​ spent millions on the implementation of this, spent it on what exactly? WASA and T&TEC are both state enterprises, so the data was always there, so they spent millions on what? Data processing? Electronic system and interface development? PNM financier wallet padding?

That is all the info I have but taking an educated guess I came up with the following:
Fiber optic links needs to be there for them to pull up the info directly from wasa. Fiber links between each regional offices and BIR. Transceivers and switches to run these. Structured wiring throughout the buildings to hook the PC up.
Data entry for all the land tax documents and whatever documents to be in a digital format.
Computers and printers. Human work force to run theses service. Training. Servers to store the data. Backup equipment for data.
The above is just to get the system in place.

We could easily cross 5 million from the above.
I'm sure that there are plenty other thing not mention that I do not know of.

[car]

In de mean time hold this.

[car]

[car]

[RedVEVO]

Now I don't support this tax but consider what happens when you don't submit this form. I got this info from a valuator that works with the property tax system.
A valuator will come in front the house from the road and look at the property try to figure out the size and estimate and put you in the highest tax bracket. Now this will only happen after not being able to make contact or you not assisting by providing info.
When you get your tax you will realise it way more than it suppose to be. It going to be a long process to get it back down to the correct cost. Interest will build and you have to pay it during that time.
He also say that they are prepared for all the smart man tactics that Trinidadians will try to beat the system. He said millions was spent to get this tax system in place so they looking to get their money back.

The above can be appealed - you can object.

The interest part is pure undiluted unrefined BS.

Again,
Axe the tax.

[airuma]

So what next? Privy council? Hopefully the UK will tell them to sort out their own problems.

[Dizzy28]

Imagine if they put this much effort into policing and enforcing Corporation Tax and PAYE!!

[sMASH]

PNM is a party of idiots

[88sins]

PNM is a party of idiots

trust me when i say the pnm don't hold the patent on government stupidity, they share that gift with all the other short-sighted narrow-minded elected parasites we've had over the last half century.
just don't expect much to change soon unles the people get up & make it happen.

[airuma]

PNM is a party of idiots

trust me when i say the pnm don't hold the patent on government stupidity, they share that gift with all the other short-sighted narrow-minded elected parasites we've had over the last half century.
just don't expect much to change soon unles the people get up & make it happen.

This might be true but the PNM certainly had much more time to hone the "skill".

[Redman]

To believe there is some inherent difference between the parties is the REAL stupidity.

3 letters does not bestow any characteristics or qualities

[Monkey Man]

except, with party i clearly benefit and it actually had a positive effect on my life....and the other party only produces garbage.... but that jus for me right.