Valuers will be visiting properties in the Western Bay over the coming month to assess current land and capital values.

Revaluations are done every two to three years by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to give a snapshot of property values district-wide so it can accurately assess the value of properties at a given time.

'With such large movement in property values across the District since our last revaluation in 2014, it's really important to bring people up to date with the value of their property,” says WBOPC community relations manager Frank Begley.

The valuers are out and about now and will be working in the district until the end of November. If no one is home when the valuer visits, a calling card will be left explaining the process to the property owner, says Frank.

The valuers are employees of independent valuation firm Landmass Technology and have been approved by the Office of the Valuer-General.

'These valuations are for the sole purpose of rating and do not reflect the value of your property on the open market, nor do they reflect the sales price of any property.

'Also, they don't influence the total amount of rates collected by council. However, if the new value of a property has increased or decreased more than the average for the district, the new value will impact on the rates paid. Some valuations will go up, others will go down and some won't change.”

Valuation results on the land and capital value of properties will be advised by public notice from 12 December 2016.

All property owners will receive notice of their new valuation plus a brochure with all the necessary information about the revaluation process and how to make an objection.

Property owners who disagree with the new valuation are welcome to lodge an objection up until January 27, 2017.

In 2014 about two percent of people objected to their valuation and all were settled through the objection process.

Objection forms are available from Western Bay of Plenty Council offices and on Council's website.

Completed forms should be posted to: Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Private Bag 12803, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga, 3134, by January 27, 2017.