What is a property tax appeal services agreement?
Property tax consultants are often paid a share of the savings they win. That arrangement only works if both sides agree on what counts as a saving, which tax years are covered, and what happens when the owner settles directly or pulls out halfway through. An appeal services agreement also gives the consultant written authority to act, and sets the date by which the owner must provide the rent rolls and photographs the appeal depends on.
This template lists each property and parcel number, the tax years, the assessing authority and appeal body, and the filing deadline. It sets out what the consultant will do up to the first-level hearing, and lets you choose whether further appeals are included. It grants limited authority to act as agent, sets the owner's information deadline, and reminds the owner to keep paying tax bills while the appeal is pending. You choose a contingency fee on first-year savings, with a defined way to measure them, or a flat fee per property, and who pays appraisal and filing costs. The template says no reduction is guaranteed, warns where an assessment could go up, and covers early termination and settlements.
- Best for
- Property tax consultants and assessment appeal firms
- Signed by
- The consultant and the property owner
- Fees
- Contingency on first-year savings, or a flat fee per property
- Length
- 2 pages, initialled on every page
When to use a property tax appeal services agreement
- Appealing the assessment on a small office building
- A homeowner challenging a sharp rise after a revaluation
- A portfolio of rental properties reviewed each year
- A retail unit with long vacancies the assessor ignored
- A property damaged by flood before the valuation date
What you fill in
17 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: consultant, property owner.
1 The parties
- Consultant (your business)*
- Your phone or email*
- Registration or licence (optional)
- Property owner*
- Owner phone or email*
2 The appeal
- Properties*
- Tax years or assessment periods*
- Assessing authority and appeal body*
- Appeal filing deadline*
- Owner's information due by*
- Further appeals* only with the Owner's separate written approval and fee agreement · included, up to and including the next level of appeal, on the same fee terms
3 Fee
- Currency*
- Fee type* contingency · flat
- Contingency percentage of first-year tax savings
- Flat fee per property (if flat fee)
- Appraisals, filing fees and expert costs* paid by the Owner, only with its prior approval · paid by the Consultant and included in the fee
- Governing law*
4 Who signs
- Consultant signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The property tax consultant or firm.
- Property owner signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The owner, or someone authorised to sign for the owner.
What the property tax appeal services agreement covers
- Properties, years and authority
- What the Consultant will do
- Authority to act
- The Owner's information and duties
- Fee
- No guaranteed result
- Ending this Agreement and general
Using the property tax appeal services agreement, step by step
1 List the properties
Enter each address and parcel number, the tax years, the assessing authority and appeal body, and the filing deadline.
2 Scope and information
Choose whether further appeals are included and set the date the owner's information is due.
3 Choose the fee
Pick a contingency percentage of first-year savings or a flat fee per property, and who pays for appraisals, filing fees and experts.
4 Send
Add your registration if your area requires one, the governing law, and send it to the owner.
Tips before you send it
- Set the information date well before the filing deadline. Late information can weaken an appeal or cause a missed deadline.
- Have the owner sign the authority's own agent form too. Some assessors won't deal with an agent without it.
- Check local rules on contingency fees for tax representation before you use them.
- Warn owners where an appeal could lead to a higher assessment. The template requires you to do so before filing.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Property tax appeal services agreement: frequently asked questions
How are tax savings measured for a contingency fee?
For the first tax year covered, the tax that would have been payable on the original assessment minus the tax payable on the reduced one, ignoring exemptions or relief the owner gets some other way. No reduction means no fee.
Does the owner still pay its tax bill during the appeal?
Yes, unless the consultant confirms in writing that the authority allows otherwise.
What if the owner settles directly with the assessor?
After filing, the owner still pays the fee on any reduction achieved for the year covered.
Is a reduction guaranteed?
No. The assessor or appeal body decides, and any estimate the consultant gives is an opinion only.
Is the template free?
Yes. It's free with FileIt eSignature, and the owner signs from the email link without an account.