The Lagos State Government has announced waivers on Land Use Charges for the years 2017, 2018 nd 2019, respectively.
The state has also granted 25 percent discount to all property owners that pay on or before 30 days after the bill is delivered.
Similarly, the 2020 LUC Law further introduced a 10 percent and 20 percent special relief for vacant properties and Open empty land, respectively.
The right of enforcement has been reduced from notification of three default notices to two default notices. Section 14 of the Law also makes it possible for the Commissioner to appoint any person including an occupier of a chargeable property to be an agent of the owner for the purpose of collecting land use charge.
Before now, concerns were rife in 2018 over increment in the charges as well as the method of valuation of properties by the Akinwunmi Ambode administration.
It was gathered that the new move by the government was aimed at reducing the sufferings of residents and businesses occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the new provisions, all property owned and occupied by pensioners are exempted from paying the LUC. For example, outstanding payments within 45-75 days have been reduced from 25 percent to 10per cent, 75-105 days from 50per cent to 20per cent, 105-135 days from 100per cent to 50per cent, while there is also a 48 percent reduction in the annual charge rates.
Others include, a reduction in owner-occupied residential property from 0.076 percent to 0.0394 per cent, industrial premises of manufacturing concerns from 0.256 percent to 0.132 per cent.
Residential property/private school (owner and third Party) from 0.256 per cent to 0.132 per cent, residential property (without owner in residence) from 0.76per cent to 0.394 per cent,
Commercial property (used by the occupier for business purposes) from 0.76 per cent to 0.394 percent and properties and open empty land from 0.076per cent to 0.0394 per cent.
There is also a reduction on annual charge rate for Agricultural land from 0.076per cent to 0.01per cent. This is an 87 per cent reduction from the old rate.
In addition to the reintroduction of the 15per cent early payment discount, an additional COVID-19 incentive of 10per cent will be granted on the total amount payable, amounting to 25 per cent in a total discount for early payment if payment is made before the due date
The Commissioner of Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, explained that the current administration decided to review the charges by reversing the rate of Land Use Charge to pre-2018 while upholding the 2018 method of valuation.”
The commissioner assured Lagosians that the response time for any complaint will not exceed 24 hours.
