Pay by May, stratified property owners told

Chow showing the parcel rent bill for stratified property owners during a press conference in Komtar.

STRATIFIED property owners in Penang have until May next year to pay the parcel rent for 2019 without being penalised.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said bills for this year’s parcel rent, replacing quit rent for stratified property lots, were sent out in stages to parcel owners in November.

“Those who have received the 2019 bills have until May 2020 to pay up without any late penalty.

“Owners who have not received their bills can get them

from any Revenues counter, Land and District Office, or the Land and Minerals Office by Dec 31 this year, ” he said during a press conference in Komtar recently.

Chow said those who had not yet paid their 2019 parcel rent bill could choose to have the arrears combined into their 2020 parcel rent bill.

The 2020 bills will be sent out to owners starting in January through the property’s joint management body or management corporation.

All parcel owners are advised to update their mailing addresses at their Land and District Office or online at etanah.penang.gov.my to enable the 2021 parcel rent bills to be sent directly to them.

The parcel bills can be paid at any District and Land Office or online via the ebayar.penang.gov.my portal starting next year.

Chow explained that the new parcel rent would be calculated based on the floor area of each unit and would help resolve issues related to arrears by the management and ease transfer of property.

“Prior to this, the quit rent was based on the total plot the property was built on, ” said Chow.

“It was paid by the management corporation of the stratified property.

“The new rate for the parcel rent is based on the size of the unit.”

Chow added that till October this year, the Penang government had received RM1.536mil from the total RM11.129mil to be collected.

There are 1,836 strata schemes with 227,874 lots.