What is the purpose of a property contact notice and what information should it contain?

• A. To inform owners of changes to value, classification, or exemptions; should include basis, effective date, rights to appeal, and deadlines.
• B. To warn owners against appealing.
• C. To notify only about new owners.
• D. To provide a monthly property market report.

Answer: (A)

Informing owners about changes to value, classification, or exemptions and giving them the information they need to respond or challenge the assessment is the core purpose of a property contact notice. It should lay out the basis for the change—how the value was determined, what data or methods were used—so the owner understands why the assessment changed. It also includes the effective date, which tells when the new value or classification takes effect for tax purposes. Clear rights to appeal and the deadlines to act are essential so the owner knows there is a process to contest the change and by when they must file.

This combination—the basis, the effective date, the rights to appeal, and the deadlines—ensures transparency and due process, giving property owners the information and time needed to participate in the assessment process.

Other options miss the purpose: one is framed around warning against appealing, another focuses only on new owners, and another describes a monthly market report, none of which capture the notice’s role in communicating changes and providing a path to review.