Legality of Forced Home Interior Inspection for Tax Purposes

[jbeausoleil]

Hi All,

I just received a letter in the mail stating that I had to submit to a forced inspection of the interior of my home for tax purposes. I have a serious problem with this and would like to know if this is even legal. I know just about everyone rolls over and submits, but it seems like this is in violation of my 4th amendment rights.

I have contacted a real estate lawyer. I live in Londonderry, the bendover town. Lets not rat hole into why I live here if I don't like it. It has to do with commuting.

I have had interior inspections before on my terms when applying for an equity line of credit, but that was for my benefit and with my permission and approval.

This is basically snooping, and I feel violated already. As far as I am concerned, I do not have to allow entry into my home by anyone without a warrant. I have no respect for the town I live in, the people in charge are morons, and I don't feel that they are even worthy of being on my property.

Any information as to the legality of this and what my options may be would be helpful.

Thanks,

[Kat Kanning]

Some of our friends fought this in court a while back and lost.  The IL took the case...you can probably find it on their website ij.org.  You can refuse, but you lose the chance to dispute the assessment that they make.

[jbeausoleil]

So, as usual, there is nothing we can do it about, the assholes win yet again.
Any suggestions about what to do to make this task difficult? I was thinking about following this person around with a video camera while asking questions like "do you enjoy peering into people's personal spaces?" "Do you like to peek in peoples windows too?" etc. I was also thinking about hanging some soiled underwear on the closed doors or littering my floors with just stuff.

I guess I have to start working on ways to box up all my collections of "things" that I can't get insurance for. Better hide my unregistered weapons too.

Any suggestions about how I can make this person uncomfortable in my home would be appreciated. This person has a choice, they can find another line of work.

[Kat Kanning]

How about holding the weapons all the time they inspect?   

[error]

Any suggestions about how I can make this person uncomfortable in my home would be appreciated. This person has a choice, they can find another line of work.

You can get Ian's former tenants to redecorate the place.

[jbeausoleil]

Anyone have a vicious pitbull I can rent???

So really, how come they always win? Whats up with that?

The funny thing is, if I let them in, my taxes will probably go down. My house is 30 years old and only a couple of rooms have been upgraded. I don't want to trash the place just make the guy feel uncomfortable. Give him something to gossip about at the office too. Maybe I can have some porn playing on all 4 televisions.

[CNHT]

Anyone have a vicious pitbull I can rent???

So really, how come they always win? Whats up with that?

The funny thing is, if I let them in, my taxes will probably go down. My house is 30 years old and only a couple of rooms have been upgraded. I don't want to trash the place just make the guy feel uncomfortable. Give him something to gossip about at the office too. Maybe I can have some porn playing on all 4 televisions.

Basically they are checking to see if you reported your number of rooms, bathrooms, fireplaces, and jacuzzis correctly.
They can measure the sq footage from the outside but a visual inspection tells them about the condition of the home.

When I first moved here I made them come in because they had me down for far more things than my house actually had, so I got an abatement. My description hasn't changed so when I let them in this time all they did was look to see if I had added anything and I told them nothing had changed.

[Lloyd Danforth]

Anyone have a vicious pitbull I can rent???

So really, how come they always win? Whats up with that?

The funny thing is, if I let them in, my taxes will probably go down.

Probably not

[Fluff and Stuff]

So, as usual, there is nothing we can do it about, the assholes win yet again.
Any suggestions about what to do to make this task difficult?

That is good stuff.  Making your place look like crap on the inside and out may cause them to even suggest your house costs less than it does.

[CNHT]

So, as usual, there is nothing we can do it about, the assholes win yet again.
Any suggestions about what to do to make this task difficult?

That is good stuff.  Making your place look like crap on the inside and out may cause them to even suggest your house costs less than it does.

Mine was in pretty bad shape when they came this time.....it's all fixed now. :-)
However I am not sure this has an effect on value as much as your proving to them that you haven't done anything to increase the features or area footage, thus increasing the amount of taxes you would pay. Sort of like you are considered guilty until you have proven you are  innocent, by letting them in to see, which to me is wrong.

[Dave Ridley]

woa this is a great thread. 
stick around jbeau...ideas inbound.

[Dave Ridley]

OK jbeau first question I have is this:  What, if anything, can we do that would help you in this situation?

How much are you willing to do by way of fighting back?  Do you know Glen Douglass, Salty Saulnier or Al Baldasaro?  They all live over there and also are angry about the prop rights situation.

People have told me that yes it is great to make your place look trashy, others have even told me "it's the New Hampshire way"   LOL.   but I don't have any experience with that since I'm a renter.     Way I see it a home is a liberty liability, static target and all that...

Russell and kat Kanning over in Keene flat out stopped paying their prop tax last year they were so angry about it.  I'm assuming we'll be using demonstrations, continuous occupations and various creative but peaceful means to make the place hard to take when the authorities start thinking about coming for it.  I guess it usually takes about 3 years for a city to grab a house after you stop paying.

Anyhow there are people here ready to pitch in and help pretty much anyone who peacefully fights the authorities when they are wrong.  Certainly they are wrong on this issue.

[Kat Kanning]

Here's some info from the IJ case:

http://ij.org/private_property/new_hampshire/index.html

[Michael Fisher]

Tony L. fought this through the IJ and lost. 

[KBCraig]

The legality is unquestioned: there is a law saying they can do this, so it's legal. The constitutionality is what's in question, as well as the propriety.

It's wrong, there's no doubt. But for now, they can get away with it, or you lose your right to appeal the assessment.

Kevin