SECTION 9.3015. Report of Decreased Value Forms

(a) All appraisal offices shall prepare and make available forms for the report of decreased value by any property owner.

(b) All forms for the report of decreased value by any property owner shall provide for the following information:

(1) a statement indicating that the report form is to be filed by the property owner after January 1 and not later than April 15;

(2) the year for which the report of decreased value is filed;

(3) the name of any taxing units to which the report of decreased value is filed;

(4) the identification of the property owner filing the report of decreased value (name and address);

(5) the legal description of the property involved in the filing of the report of decreased value and its location;

(6) the name and address of a person to contact for additional information;

(7) the date of the report of decreased value;

(8) the signature of the property owner, or the authorized officer or agent, filing the report of decreased value; and

(9) a statement that the report of decreased value is confidential and not open to public inspection, except for those instances set forth in the Tax Code, §22.27(b).

(c) In order to determine the appraised value of property that is the subject of a completed and timely filed report of decreased value, the report form will provide for the following necessary information:

(1) a statement indicating the nature and cause of decreased value of the property subject to the report; and

(2) a statement indicating that the property owner may state his or her opinion about the market value of the property subject to the report.

(d) All forms for the report of decreased value by any property owner shall require the property owner to state that the information contained in the form is true and correct to the best of the property owner's knowledge and belief. If the report is filed by someone other than the property owner, an employee of the property owner, or an employee of a property owner on behalf of an affiliated entity of the property owner, the report must be sworn before an officer authorized by law to administer an oath.

(e) All forms for the report of decreased value by any property owner shall make provision for the following information on the back of the form:

(1) the name of the person from the appraisal office who reviews the property to verify any change in value;

(2) the date the person from the appraisal office views the property subject to the report or, in the case of an oil and gas property, reviews the appraisal of the property; and

(3) the determination of any decrease in appraised value and its cause and nature by the person from the appraisal office who views the property to verify any change in value.

(f) Appraisal offices failing to establish a form for the report of decreased value as required in this section may be judged to be in compliance upon a showing to the board that a form for the report of decreased value substantially equivalent to that required in this section has been established.

Source Note: The provisions of this §9.3015 adopted to be effective April 30, 1981, 6 TexReg 1441; amended to be effective October 30, 1981, 6 TexReg 3873; amended to be effective December 22, 1988, 13 TexReg 6094; transferred effective November 26, 1991, as published in the Texas Register September 18, 1992, 17 TexReg 6481; amended to be effective March 16, 1994, 19 TexReg 1467; amended to be effective February 3, 1998, 23 TexReg 798; amended to be effective January 10, 2000, 25 TexReg 211