What Evidence Actually Helps

Here's what BC Assessment and PARP panels actually look for.

Comparable sales

Good comparables are properties similar to yours in size, age, and condition, located nearby, with sale dates close to the valuation date (July 1 of the year before the assessment). Sales after that date can still count, adjusted for market movement since then. A useful technique is "bracketing," picking comparables both above and below your target value to show a credible range.

Your property's own record

BC Assessment keeps a record of your property's details — lot size, building size, year built, and more. Check it against reality: a factual error here, wrong square footage, for example, is one of the more straightforward grounds for a successful complaint.

Photos and condition issues

Got a real condition problem — foundation issues, an outdated interior, deferred maintenance? Photos plus a contractor's repair estimate can back up an argument that your assessed value doesn't reflect the property's actual condition.

What doesn't work

A few patterns reliably fail:

• Arguing your percent increase alone, without market evidence
• Comparing only to a neighbour's assessment, not actual sales
• Cherry-picking only favourable comparables
• Asking for a small, arbitrary adjustment without supporting evidence

If gathering and presenting this kind of evidence isn't something you want to take on yourself, connect with a BC property tax professional who can review your specific comparables — free to inquire, no obligation.