This department has the following two sections delivering services:
Maintenance of the Valuation List
This section, pursuant to the Land Valuation and Tax Act 1967, is responsible for producing a Draft Valuation List every five years and for maintaining the Valuation List for Bermuda on which property taxes are assessed. During the five year life of the Valuation List, any new, altered or demolished properties must be inspected and revalued, and the Valuation List amended accordingly. The department’s service target is to amend the Valuation List for all changes within twenty working days of receiving notification of a change to a property.
The Valuation List contains residential, commercial and tourist properties. It is also used by a number of government departments to fulfill their mandates, such as, but not limited to, the Immigration Department, the Transport Control Department, the Department of Statistics, and the Rent Commissioner.
The department has maintained a website since 1999 to allow the public convenient access to the current Valuation List, information on assessments and the assessment process, together with other frequently asked questions. The integrated mapping on the website also assists with the location and identification of properties. The online search facility address is www.landvaluation.bm.
A hard copy of the most recent Draft Valuation List is also available for public inspection at all Post Offices and the department’s offices on the 2nd Floor Global House, 43 Church Street, Hamilton HM 12 during normal office hours.
Professional Advice
The department provides property appraisal services to other government departments including the Tax Commissioner, Registrar of the Supreme Court, Immigration Department, the Estates Section of Public Works and any other Department or QUANGO requiring open market appraisals or property advice.
The Tax Commissioner, for example, requires valuation advice on voluntary conveyances and transfers at undervalue to adjudicate the correct amount of stamp duty to be paid and the Registrar of the Supreme Court requests appraisal advice for probate purposes. Depending on the originator of the request, the department aims to provide valuation advice to other government departments between five and twenty working days.