A massive technical glitch has delayed millions of dollars in property-tax rebates involving thousands of city co-op and condo owners.
The annoying snafu was triggered by a botched rollout of the city Department of Finance’s new abatement portal, where requests for the rebates are submitted, sources told The Post.
Every year, co-op and condo owners who live in their own units are entitled to a property-tax rebate of at least 17.5%.
Typically, property managers file for the rebates on behalf of the units’ owners — money that can then be used to limit building maintenance increases.
The deadline for filing was Feb. 15.
But all hell broke loose last week when the owners and property managers heard that the rebates were delayed.
“We just got hit by another maintenance increase this year, and now we have to worry about our costs going up again. It creates a lot of uncertainty — even if they fix it,” griped a Manhattan co-op resident, who requested anonymity, to The Post.
A Department of Finance rep copped to the issue and vowed that the residents will not be penalized for a delay to payments of their quarterly tax bills.
“Even as we modernize our operations, we will always prioritize accuracy for all taxpayers,” a DOF spokesman said.
“We are taking immediate steps to ensure all affected property owners receive the abatements they deserve. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused, and are committed to resolving this issue quickly and transparently.”
To ensure no property owners are penalized, the DOF has extended the payment due date to Aug. 15, and no interest will be charged for late payment.
A formal notice is being sent to property managers this week informing them of the problem and the revised deadline.
A rep for the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums said it was aware of the problem but had no further comment.
Read the full article here
