City making more effort to ensure code violation fees are paid
NORWICH – The city is taking extra measures to ensure that codes violators aren’t able to avoid paying penalty fees when selling their property.
City Finance Director William Roberts reported to the Common Council this month that five property owners who acquired code violations fees over the past few years sold their properties before paying, leaving the city short a total of $2,258.
The city is exploring new ways to prevent similar incidents in the future, Roberts said.
Typically, when a home owner owes property taxes and sells the property, adjustments can be made in the lien agreement so that the buyer is not held responsible for paying those charges. This adjustment, however, is not applied to additional fees owed, including charges from code violations, said Roberts.
Now, when a potential property buyer requests a tax search of the previous owner, the city will also check for any additional fees, including codes violations that are owed by the current property owner, and can then notify the buyer of such additional fees.
“It’s not a change in procedure as much as it is making the new property owner aware,” said Roberts. “When someone buys a piece of property, they should want to know what the tax history is ... Additional information about codes penalties will be written on a cover letter when a buyer has a tax search done.”
The hope in doing this, he added, is that the buyer will be able to recover such additional outstanding fees from the seller at closing.
“It’s not fair to charge a new property owner for something the previous owner didn’t do,” stated Roberts.
Ultimately, outstanding fees are written off. According to Roberts, the city could have taken legal action, but legal costs would have far exceed the amount each property owner owes.
City Finance Director William Roberts reported to the Common Council this month that five property owners who acquired code violations fees over the past few years sold their properties before paying, leaving the city short a total of $2,258.
The city is exploring new ways to prevent similar incidents in the future, Roberts said.
Typically, when a home owner owes property taxes and sells the property, adjustments can be made in the lien agreement so that the buyer is not held responsible for paying those charges. This adjustment, however, is not applied to additional fees owed, including charges from code violations, said Roberts.
Now, when a potential property buyer requests a tax search of the previous owner, the city will also check for any additional fees, including codes violations that are owed by the current property owner, and can then notify the buyer of such additional fees.
“It’s not a change in procedure as much as it is making the new property owner aware,” said Roberts. “When someone buys a piece of property, they should want to know what the tax history is ... Additional information about codes penalties will be written on a cover letter when a buyer has a tax search done.”
The hope in doing this, he added, is that the buyer will be able to recover such additional outstanding fees from the seller at closing.
“It’s not fair to charge a new property owner for something the previous owner didn’t do,” stated Roberts.
Ultimately, outstanding fees are written off. According to Roberts, the city could have taken legal action, but legal costs would have far exceed the amount each property owner owes.
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