As the official price of apartment houses soared 19.1% on average across the country this year, the backlash from homeowners who feared an increase in the tax burden is unusual.
Today (5th), as the government closes receiving opinions on published prices, it is predicted that this year, the number of objections will be the largest ever since the collective action of each complex will be added to the opposition of some local governments.
An official from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, “We are going to receive opinions and review the contents by today. We are accepting them through various channels such as online and mail, and we can only know how many times have been received.”
Since the 15th of last month, when public housing prices began to be viewed as of January 1 of this year, local apartment complexes and internet communities have been actively complaining about the increase in public prices and seeking countermeasures such as group objections.
In the Gangnam area of Seoul, where expensive apartments are concentrated, as well as Gangbuk, Sejong and other provinces, the backlash from the soaring public price was greater than expected, and a number of complexes that actually protested with the competent ward office or made a group objection were confirmed.
They shared the’coordinates’ (internet link) on the bulletin board of the local ward office with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, left a complaint as a group, and turned to the joint list to file an objection.
In Gangnam, Seoul, where comprehensive real estate tax is expected to increase due to the large number of expensive apartments, residents such as Eunma Apartment in Daechi-dong gathered opinions against the increase in the official price, and Yeoksam 2nd I-Park in Yeoksam-dong, etc., provided guidance to residents on how to submit their opinions. I encouraged you to file an objection.
There were also places to respond to public price hikes in partnership with neighboring apartments.
On the 23rd of last month, the Association of Resident Representatives in five nearby complexes, including Godeok Grasium in Godeok-dong, Gangdong-gu, and Goddeok Arteon, in Sangil-dong, sent an official letter to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Tourism, Gangdong-gu Office, and the local council offices requesting a reduction in the public price.
The association said, “It is difficult to accept the attempt to impose a tax bomb by considering ordinary residents as speculators. If the official price adjustment is not made, we will start a signing campaign against the tax policy.”
In the Gangbuk region, residents such as Hyundai Woosung Apartment in Hagye-dong, Nowon-gu, protested the surge in public prices and took a collective action.
They encouraged individual objections through group chat rooms, etc., and rotated the group joint list.
Nowon-gu has an official price increase of 34.66% this year, ranking second in the country after Sejong City (70.68%) and the highest in Seoul.
Residents of these apartments demanded a recalculation of the published price, saying that the average house price rose by 20-30% over the past year, and this year, most of the listed prices have risen to around 40%.
There was also a strong backlash from residents of the complex, which was the first target of the tax tax this year.
Mr. A (64), a resident of Bundang-gu, said, “No way, but this year’s public price, which was around 840 million won last year, rose by more than 40% to 1.18 billion won, which was the first time this year. Of course, my head hurts so much when I think about paying taxes next year and next year. I immediately filed an objection with the ward office.”
Even in Sejong City, where the official price of apartments has risen by more than 70%, it is not difficult to see the complex that has started to receive group opinions on the official price, centered on the tenant representative meeting.
The average rate of increase is 70%, and in the case of popular complex small equilibrium, there have also been several complexes that have doubled from last year.
Some apartment complexes in Sejong City’s First Village, Gajae Village, and Saemoom Village have been witnessed receiving consent to receive opinions on the published prices of apartments through resident bulletin boards.
Complaints about public prices are also being posted on the Sejong City community site.
One resident said, “I wasn’t sure because even if I liked that apartment prices were going up around me, we didn’t even move, but now I want to pay taxes every year.”
Another Sejong citizen said, “Our apartment price has risen by 85% this time.”
In the end, Sejong City announced that it had submitted an opinion on the public price reduction to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport by holding a correction briefing.
The government is planning to finalize the published price this year on the 29th after receiving an objection through the Internet real estate advertised price alert site, jurisdiction over the city, county, and district offices, and the Korea Real Estate Agency.
(Photo = Yonhap News)