Q&A | Request for Information (RFI) forms

Municipalities and the Province use request for information forms to gather information from property owners to reduce the time and cost of preparing assessments. 

The forms reduce the amount of in person field work necessary to complete the annual assessments.  This in turn reduces the inconvenience of property owners who have their property inspected in person.

Lacombe County has been using requests for information forms the past seven years for residential, farm and non-residential properties.  Other urban and rural municipalities have been using these forms for much longer.  

These forms assist the County in keeping property records accurate and current reflecting any changes since the last inspection for assessment.  To meet Provincial audit guidelines, the County’s assessment department must update property characteristics at least once every five years.

Providing information supports the County’s commitment to fairness by enabling us to assess properties correctly and fairly across the County.

Yes.  The assessor is required to prepare an annual assessment for each property in the County based on the characteristics and physical condition of the property. 

The Municipal Government Act provides assessors with the authority to request and obtain information necessary for property assessments.

Yes – information collected is necessary for the preparation and maintenance of the annual assessment and collection of property taxes.  

Information collected on these forms cannot be used or shared by the assessor for any purpose other than the preparation of the property’s assessment.

Physical property details such as, the size, age of building(s), are not considered confidential information. However, it’s very rare to have anyone other than an owner or someone acting on their behalf (e.g. realtor, appraiser) request this information.

Ownership details and financial (income/expense) or propriety information is held in confidence by the assessment department for assessment purposes.  This information is protected and can only be disclosed by the assessment department as required by law, adhering to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Government Act.

Question 12 is seeking to determine what changes, if any, have been made to the property.  The details help determine the condition of the property, and where applicable, depreciation necessary to reflect the condition. These features are also considered by buyers/sellers when trading real estate and negotiating a sale price. Providing these details ensures a more accurate, fair and complete assessment when estimating value.

If you are not comfortable providing this level of detail, simply provide the nature, type and year of any renovation.  If the details are unknown, the assessor may need to follow up with a discussion or visit the property.  

Questions 17 and 18 are used to confirm that land identified as agriculture is being used for agricultural purposes in accordance with provincial legislation and regulation. 

If you are not comfortable answering these two questions, please explain in your own words what the land is being used for.  Should the assessor require additional information to verify the use of the land they will contact the property owner and/or inspect the property.

Information requested in Question 19 helps the assessor identify classifications for all the improvements to a property, this assists the assessor to determine which buildings do not pay taxes and which may.

The Request for Information form assists the County’s assessors in ensuring assessment information is correct and up to date.  It may also avoid the need for assessors to perform in person inspections where there are no major changes to the property.

Failing to provide the requested information – either via the form or in person – may impact the property owner’s ability to make a complaint against the prepared assessment to the Assessment Review Board for that particular year.

For assistance or additional information, please contact Lacombe County’s Assessment Department at 403-782-6601 or assessment@lacombecounty.com. Staff are available to answer questions and assist you with your submission.