I have been handed over for approx R64 000 for acc.no 70077277. I have never received a statement prior to this because the address on this statement was the erf no. BCMM must have known this would never reach me. Why has it taken BCMM about 12 years to hand me over? I apply for a 75% rebate on the adjoining 3 farms (no BCMM services supplied) which are paid on time every month as I receive emailed statements for them. If I had known about this account, I would have definitely applied for the rebate on it.
In view of the above, I am of the opinion that I am liable for 25% of the rates and should not have to pay any interest.
Yesterday I was given my actual BCMM account number and was able to view the Valuation role. I was horrified to see that this small 13 HA piece of agricultural land without a homestead, was valued at R2 050 000. This means it is being valued at more than R157 000 per HA which is totally ludicrous. Because I have never received an account or even had an account number, I have never been able to check this before. So my rates are being charged on a highly inflated value.
I am eager to resolve the dispute and then start paying the account monthly.