The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) is reminding property owners that property tax payments for 2025 are due by Sept. 30.
“Failure to make payment by the due date will result in penalties and may also trigger enforcement action,” the IRD said in a press statement on Thursday.
“The IRD has observed a continuous decline in the compliance rate for property tax owners,” the release said, adding that for 2024, the compliance rate was 56%.
“Consequently, the IRD would be implementing a robust, sustained and widespread property tax enforcement programme geared towards reversing this declining rate of compliance.”
The IRD said that as part of these efforts, it would start with the top 150 property tax defaulters for both domestic and commercial properties.
“This list represents those taxpayers with the largest outstanding property tax balances, along with those with a prolonged history of non-compliance,” the release said.
“These taxpayers will be subject to targeted enforcement measures until their outstanding property tax liability is fully liquidated.”
The release said one of the primary enforcement mechanisms available to the IRD is the application of liens to properties with outstanding property tax balances.
A lien is a legal claim placed on a property when taxes remain unpaid. This claim gives the IRD the right to secure payment of outstanding taxes directly against the property.
In practical terms, a lien may prevent the sale, transfer, or refinancing of the property until all outstanding property taxes and penalties are fully satisfied.
Other methods of enforcement that would be used by the IRD would include the seizure of assets and garnishing bank accounts, salaries/wages and rental income.
“The IRD urges all property owners who may be in arrears to take immediate steps to bring their property tax accounts up to date in order to avoid any resulting enforcement action. Property owners who are uncertain about their property tax balances are encouraged to contact the IRD or visit our Office to verify their accounts.”