Property tax
Property owners and many tenants pay property tax, directly or through their lease. The bill rests on an assessment, and assessment records can contain errors. A review looks at how your property is valued and taxed.
Fairview Audit connects you with a partner firm for this work. Fairview does not give tax advice or file appeals.
What the review looks at
A partner firm typically starts with the assessment and works outward. Areas that often matter include:
- The assessed value and how the authority reached it.
- The property record: size, use, age and condition.
- Whether the property is classified correctly.
- Exemptions or reductions you may be entitled to.
- Changes since the last assessment, such as vacancy, damage or demolition.
- For tenants, how the tax is passed through under the lease.
Rules, deadlines and appeal routes differ widely by jurisdiction. [VERIFY: assessment and appeal rules for the jurisdiction concerned] Many states also limit how fast assessed values can rise. In Cook County, Illinois, owners can appeal when the property details on a notice are wrong or the estimated value looks too high, and the window is short. A change in assessment does not move the bill by the same amount, since exemptions and local levies also count.
Property tax also ties to leases. A tenant who pays a share of the landlord's tax bill may find an error in the lease billing instead of the assessment. See lease audit and compliance.
What you provide
The partner firm will confirm its needs. Expect requests such as:
- Recent tax bills and assessment notices.
- The property address and parcel details.
- Purchase, sale or improvement records.
- Rent rolls or occupancy details, if relevant.
- Leases that pass tax through to tenants.
- Records of earlier appeals or settlements.
- Contact details for your property and finance staff.
Gather the notices first. They usually carry the dates that matter. [CONFIRM: a partner firm supplies and approves its document list for property tax]
What happens after you submit a request
You submit a request through the form that fits your business. A partner firm contacts you directly. You talk through scope and terms, share your documents and receive the firm's findings.
If the findings suggest the assessment can be questioned, you and the firm decide whether to proceed. Filing windows can be short, so raise the question early. [VERIFY: filing deadlines for the relevant authority]
Fees are between you and the partner firm. Some partner firms work on a contingency basis.
Who this suits
A property tax review may suit:
- Owners of several properties across different areas.
- Businesses that recently bought, built or renovated.
- Owners whose properties lost value or income.
- Tenants who pay tax as part of their rent and have not seen the underlying bill.
- Owners who have never questioned an assessment.
Real estate owners and energy businesses hold property in different forms. See property tax for real estate and property and property tax for energy.
How Fairview matches you
Fairview has three request paths: larger business, smaller business, and not sure or another need. Each leads to its own form. The type of firm depends on your size, and Fairview matches each request by hand rather than by a fixed cut-off. A request goes to the matched partner. If you choose not sure, Fairview matches it by hand.
An independent partner firm that specializes in property tax handles this work. Fairview Audit makes the match. We do not perform the review ourselves.Who does the work
Frequently asked questions
Does Fairview file the appeal?
No. A partner firm does the review and any next steps, under its own terms with you.
Do I have to wait for a new bill?
Not always. Timing rules vary, so ask the firm what applies to you.
Can tenants ask for a review?
Often yes, especially where the lease passes tax through. Say so on your request.
Is a lower bill certain?
No. A review reports what it finds. Fairview makes no promise about outcomes.
Related pages
Tell us what you need reviewed. We match you by hand with an independent partner firm. You keep your existing vendors.Find out what you are overpaying.