Properties Being Sold or Transferred
Upon sale or transfer of a
property, the buyer may need to reimburse a portion of the property tax already
fully paid for the year by the seller back to the seller. The apportionment of property tax is a private arrangement between the seller and buyer. Normally the conveyancing lawyers acting for the parties would make the tax adjustments. IRAS does not apportion the tax liabilities for the parties.
Upon completion of the sale or transfer of the
property, property owners need not write in to notify IRAS of the successful
sale/transfer. Usually the conveyancing lawyer would notify IRAS of the new owner/(s) within one month of the sale or transfer by filing a Notice of Transfer. Once the transfer of ownership has been updated, the
new owner may access their property details via myTax Portal.
Once the sale or transfer is complete, all property tax
related correspondence including property tax bills will be sent to the new
owner. As the new property owner, you will be liable for all property tax
on the property.
Properties with Multiple Owners
For properties owned by more than one owner, all owners are collectively responsible for paying property tax.
The payment arrangement on the property tax payable is a private matter among the property owners. In the event of outstanding tax, enforcement action can be taken against any owner of the property to recover the tax.
Single Correspondent with IRAS
For correspondence, IRAS communicates with the owner who is listed first in the Notice of Transfer filed by the seller's lawyer. Please inform the seller's lawyer who should be listed first in the Notice of Transfer. For HDB flats, IRAS communicates with the owner who is the main applicant listed in the purchase of the flat.
IRAS will correspond with that person on all property tax matters, including payment/ refund of property tax.
If there is a preference among owners on who IRAS should correspond with, you can write in to us together with the written consent of all the owners of the property.
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Properties with Deceased Owners
What I need to do as a legal representative
Upon demise of the owner, property
tax notices will be addressed
to the Legal Personal Representative (LPR) of the Estate of the Deceased and the
LPR is responsible for the payment of property tax.
The LPR
is also required to engage a lawyer (for private properties)
or contact HDB (for HDB flats) to have the property legally transferred to the
beneficiaries. The lawyer or HDB would then notify IRAS of the new
owner/(s) within one month of the transfer.
Once IRAS has been notified of the new owner, IRAS will correspond with that person on all
property tax matters, including payment of property tax.