Bandung to launch property tax app

Bandung is planning a land tax app, looking to cut queues in government offices. Citizens would be able to check on their smartphones how much property and building tax they must pay.

It does not let people pay their taxes, however. Citizens must go to a bank to pay once they have checked the amount on the app. They would also be able to update the government of any changes to their properties, such as a change in ownership or new construction, via the app. Currently, this can only be done by visiting the tax office in person.

"Every year there are at least 30,000 people who come to the office just to give that data," said Ema Sumarma, head of Bandung’s tax department.

The agency expects the app will cut the number of people visiting their office by a third, it said in a statement. The city will also start sending SMS reminders to citizens to pay their taxes on time and let them know of the nearest location where they can do so. And it will launch a bus service to collect taxes from citizens staying far from the tax office.

The bus will do rounds of neighbourhoods and citizens will be informed in advance of the schedule by SMS. Image by msetyadi, licensed under CC BY 2.0