Your BC assessment notice just arrived. Now what?

BC assessment notices usually land in the first days of January, and the questions start right away. Did my value go up? Is it right? Do I need to do something? Here's a calm checklist for the first week.

Step 1: Note the deadline, then relax

A complaint to the Property Assessment Review Panel must be filed no later than January 31, or the next business day if January 31 falls on a weekend or holiday. There's no late filing.

Source: Assessment Act, RSBC 1996, c. 20, s. 33(2) (notice of complaint no later than January 31 of the year following completion of the roll under s. 3); roll to next business day: Interpretation Act, RSBC 1996, c. 238, s. 25(3)-(4)

That gives you most of January. You don't need to decide today, but don't leave it to the last weekend either.

Step 2: Read the value for what it is

Your assessed value estimates what your property was worth on a valuation date in the previous year, which is printed on the notice. It isn't a sale price, and it isn't a bill.

If your value went up, don't panic. Your municipality sets its tax rate after the roll is complete, and a rise that matches your neighbourhood's may barely change your bill. What matters is whether your change is bigger than typical. Read why a higher assessment doesn't always mean a higher tax bill.

Step 3: Check the facts BC Assessment has on file

Look up your property's details and check them: floor area, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, basement, carport or garage, lot size, year built. An error in these facts is the most common reason a value is off, and the easiest to fix.

Step 4: Compare like with like

BC Assessment shows each property's assessed value publicly, so you can compare your home with similar homes nearby. Choose homes of the same type, similar age and similar size, divide each value by floor area, and see where yours sits. Our free check does this for you and shows the homes it used.

You may be fairly assessed. If you are, we'll tell you.

Step 5: If something's off, talk to BC Assessment first

BC Assessment invites owners to contact an appraiser before filing a complaint. Bring your evidence: the error, or the comparable homes. Many issues are resolved this way.

Step 6: Decide whether a complaint is worth it

Ask three questions:

1. Is the gap real? Are the comparable homes truly comparable?
2. Is it big enough to matter? BC's tax rates are low compared with many provinces, so a modest reduction in value may mean a modest change in tax. Work out the likely saving before you start.
3. Could it backfire? If the evidence suggests your home is under-assessed compared with similar homes, a review could raise it.

If you'd like help

We ask the assessor to review first, and file a complaint only if it's needed to protect your rights. For the 2027 season we stop accepting new BC files on January 24, so that every complaint is filed before the deadline. Our fee is $79 upfront plus 25% of the first-year tax saving, charged once, only if your assessment goes down. Full detail is on the fee page.

You don't need us: you can contact your assessor or file a complaint yourself.

What not to worry about

• You don't need a lawyer to talk to BC Assessment or to file a complaint.
• Filing a complaint doesn't commit you to a hearing. Some complaints settle before one is held.
• The value isn't a prediction. It says nothing about what your home will sell for this year.
• A rise isn't a mistake by itself. Values across a neighbourhood often move together.