Prof. Jaap Zevenbergen appointed as member in Dutch Council for Real Estate Assessment (Waarderingskamer) 2023-2026

Prof. Jaap Zevenbergen is appointed as a member of the Dutch Council for Real Estate Assessment (Waarderingskamer). The Waarderingskamer monitors and assesses municipalities on implementing the Act for Real Estate Assessment (Wet WOZ). The Council for Real Estate Assessment supervises the appraisal and determination of the value of immovable property, the implementation of the basic register for the assessed values of immovable property (basic register for the WOZ), and the other matters regulated in the Act. These values are the base for a number of taxes, especially the Dutch ‘land tax’.

Members of the Waarderingskamer are appointed for a period of four years. Members may be reappointed at the end of that term. Four members are appointed from the municipalities nominated by the Vereniging van Nederlandse Gemeenten, two members are appointed from the water boards nominated by the Unie van Waterschappen, two members are appointed from the Belastingdienst and three members are independent, including the chairman and prof. Jaap Zevenbergen. The appointment is for the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2026.

This appointment feels like both an honour and a responsibility. Land taxation is one of the key functions of land administration, and heavily relies on the quality of the processes and the geo-information therein. With the overall quality of the valuation process being quite stable, further improvements should be related to improved information on the energy efficiency of real estate, and more systematic monitoring of the quality of the geo-information that the appraisal is based on. International cooperation and experience sharing are also key, and fit well with ITC’s mandate.

About the Netherlands Council for Real Estate Assessment

The Netherlands Council for Real Estate Assessment is an independent organization that supervises and monitors valuation in the context of the Special Act for Real Estate Assessment. The organization plays a role as both, an oversight agency and a centre of knowledge and expertise in the field of real estate valuation and property taxation. If municipalities do not meet the minimum quality standards as set by the organization, it is initially the municipal council which will be held accountable. If the necessary improvements are not being realized, the Minister of Finance may, in extreme cases, decide to have this Act executed by another party instead of by the municipality. 

Zevenbergen next to the recently revealed logo at the Waarderingskamer’s office in the Hague during his information visit there in January 2023

About Jaap Zevenbergen

Jaap Zevenbergen is a professor of land administration and management at the University of Twente, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) in Enschede. Prof. Zevenbergen is Head of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geo-Information Management, and serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Land Use Policy.