Annual Value of Property

The annual value of a property is the sum for which a property is reasonably expected to be let from year to year. Hence, the annual value of a property is the amount of notional rent which could have been derived, had the property been let. The annual value of a property plays an important role in Income Tax return filing. In this article, we mention the procedure for calculating the annual value of a property.

Factors Determining Annual Value of Property

The following four factors play an important role in determining the annual value of a property:

Actual Rent Received

Actual rent received or receivable is an important factor in determining the annual value of a property. The actual rent received could be dependent on various considerations. If the owner of the property agrees to bear certain obligations like water or electricity bill, the rent will be calculated by reducing the rent received by the amount spent by the owner on meeting such obligatory expenses. On the other hand, if the obligatory expenses to be borne by the owner is met by the tenant, then the rent will be computed by increasing the rent paid by the amount spent by the tenant on meeting the obligations of the owner.

Municipal Value

Municipal value is determined by the municipal authorities for levying municipal taxes on house property. Municipal authorities normally charge house tax/municipal taxes on the basis of annual letting value of such house property, which is determined by it based upon many considerations.

Fair Rent

Fair rent is the rent which is a similar property can fetch in the same or similar locality if it is let for a year. Fair rent can be easily ascertained for apartments based on prevailing rentals.

Standard Rent

Standard rent is fixed under the Rent Control Act. If the standard rent has been fixed for any property under the Rent Control Act, the owner cannot be expected to get a rent higher than the standard rent fixed under the Rent Control Act. Therefore, standard rent plays an important factor in determining the annual value of the property.

Categories of House Property

Based on the nature of property and utility, the annual value of a property could fall into five different categories as follows:

House property let throughout the previous year.
House property which is let and was vacant during the whole or any part of the previous year.
House property which is part of the year let and part of the year self-occupied.
House property which is self-occupied for residential purposes or could not actually be self-occupied owing to employment at any other place.
Annual value of house property held as stock-in-trade which was not let during the whole of the previous year.

Procedure for Calculating Annual Value of Property

The following are the steps involved in calculating the Net Annual Value of house property: A = Actual Rent Received: For let out property, actual rent received is as per agreement between the owner and the tenant. Any payment by the tenant on behalf of the owner is also included under Actual Rent Received. B = Fair Rent: It means how much rental income a similar property in the vicinity can fetch with similar facilities and amenities. C = Standard Rent = Rent fixed under the Rent Control Act: States like Tamilnadu have Rent control act, under which rent specified under the Rent Control Act is fixed even if is a meagre amount. D = Municipal Value: It is similar to circle rate or guidance value. Rental value is fixed by a local municipal corporation or municipal committee. After calculating the above-mentioned values, Notional Rental Income from House Property can be calculated as per following formula as mentioned in the income tax act: Z = Higher of B or D i.e. Higher of Fair Rent Value or Municipal Value. Y = Expected Rent = Lower of Z or C Gross Annual Value of Property = Higher of Expected Rent or Actual Rent Received = Higher of Y or A In most of the cases, Actual rent received will be the Gross Annual Value of Property for the purpose of calculation of Income from House Property. Net Annual Value is Gross Annual Value minus Municipal taxes like property tax, sewerage tax and so on.