I REFER to reports that the new mayor of Kuala Lumpur had said there will be no rise in the city’s assessment rates.

I feel the new mayor should waive property assessments for next year because of the growing economic uncertainties.

I live in a condominium and I find the assessment rates we pay are too high compared to those for landed residential properties.

Unlike landed properties, condo owners do not enjoy fogging services, landscaping, playground facilities, tree-pruning, sweeping of roads and drains, repairs of roads etc. We have to contract out and pay for all these services.

The only service City Hall provides to condos is rubbish collection.

Even that is made easier for City Hall workers as most condominium blocks have centralised rubbish bins unlike in residential areas, where the collection is made house to house.

Clearly, the services provided for condos come nowhere near those provided to landed properties.

Therefore, it is unfair for us to pay high assessment rates. City Hall should revise the rates downwards.

LIN JIA BIN, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – December 31, 2008