Kajang homeowners brace for higher assessment bills

KAJANG property owners will have to pay higher assessment tax next year following Kajang Municipal Council’s (MPKj) new valuation list for properties in its jurisdiction.

The hike, the first since 1985, comes after a series of postponed revisions to the valuation list due to various economic and health crises, including the Covid-19 pandemic.

MPKj president Nazli Md Taib said assessment tax would increase by 20% to 30% for the majority of properties depending on property type and whether it had undergone renovations, based on 2020 valuations.

“Selangor government in 2020 approved the revision of valuation lists for 12 local authorities, initially intended for 2022, but it was pushed back because of the pandemic,” Nazli said after chairing the council’s full board meeting.

He said certain properties like low-cost flats would see a rise of RM15 while others including heavily renovated properties in Malay Reserve areas such as Taman Casa Lagenda, Hulu Langat, would experience a “significant hike”.

This, he said, was aimed at equalising taxes with non-Malay Reserve properties.

Nazli added that the increase had been carefully considered, and a balance was struck after taking into account feedback and objections from the public.

“We received 23,297 objections from 349,411 notices distributed to property owners and the objection hearings from June to August 2022 resulted in a 10% to 20% reduction for some properties.”

He added that the assessment hike would not be a burden as it would be implemented in two-phases: 50% in 2024 and full implementation from 2025.

“As an example, the assessment tax for a double-storey terrace house in Taman Kajang Mulia before the increase was RM211.20 and RM264.00 after.

“However, the assessment tax for 2024 is RM237.60 or 50% of the increment,” he said.

Nazli said the increase in assessment tax rates for 2024 would add RM15mil to MPKj’s coffers, on top of the yearly assessment tax collection of over RM200mil.

“By 2025, this rise will give us an additional RM30mil but still falls short of covering the rising costs of municipal services, which include waste disposal and management fees totalling RM80.65mil,” said Nazlin.

The new valuation list approved by the Selangor State Executive Council on Dec 6 is available for public viewing at the Valuation Department, Menara MPKj.

The council is also offering an early payment rebate of RM10 for the 2024 assessment tax.