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Land Tax Investigation Lawyers

A land tax investigation from Revenue NSW or the Victorian State Revenue Office can create pressure for property owners, investors, trustees and developers, especially where exemptions, surcharge land tax, ownership structures or property use are being reviewed. Careful legal input can help assess the investigation, manage evidence and reduce the risk of an avoidable reassessment or dispute.

We help:

  • Understand the land tax issue being investigated
  • Protect your position on exemptions, surcharge, or ownership structure
  • Respond to Revenue NSW or SRO enquiries with a clear strategy
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We Understand What You Are Going Through

Land tax investigations often begin with a formal letter asking for information about property ownership, land use, residence, leases, trust arrangements, related entities, or exemption claims. For many clients, the letter is unexpected and may relate to property arrangements that have been in place for years.

You may be dealing with uncertainty about whether an exemption applies, whether a surcharge has been assessed correctly, or whether a trust, company, joint ownership, or development structure has created exposure. Accountants, conveyancers, and property advisers may hold important records, but the response often requires legal analysis as well as factual evidence.

We help property owners and advisers work through the investigation calmly and methodically. Our role is to identify the issues, prepare a clear response, manage communication with Revenue NSW or the SRO, and assist if the matter develops into a reassessment, objection, or broader land tax dispute.

Our Services Include

  • Reviewing land tax investigation and information request letters
  • Advising on land tax assessments, reassessments, penalty tax and interest
  • Preparing responses and submissions to Revenue NSW and the Victorian State Revenue Office
  • Advising on principal place of residence, vacant residential land tax, primary production, trust, charitable and other land tax exemption issues
  • Advising on surcharge land tax, absentee owner surcharge, foreign owner surcharge and complex ownership structures
  • Coordinating supporting evidence, including trust deeds, contracts, leases, occupancy records and property documents
  • Assisting with objections, reassessments, negotiations and escalated land tax disputes

Our Difference

Accountability & Expertise

Every matter we handle comes with full accountability. You’ll deal directly with an expert – every time, no exceptions.

In Your Shoes

Understanding your unique circumstances and goals - so our advice is practical, personal, and never given in a vacuum.

Transparency & Communication

We speak your language. That means plain, clear advice - what’s happening, why it matters, and what comes next.

50+
Australian Based Team
4,000+
Matters Expertly Handled
10+
Awards & Industry Recognition

Our Process

  1. Book Meeting
    Fill in the contact form below or call our office to book an initial consult. You can choose between an in-person or video conference.
  2. Get Advice

    You’ll discuss your situation in depth with a senior lawyer. This includes exploring your requirements, goals, and desired outcomes. You’ll walk away from this meeting with a clear understanding of the next steps.
  3. Achieve Outcomes

    Our legal team will work tirelessly to achieve your desired objectives. We work hard, communicate regularly, and pride ourselves on delivering results.
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Take the First Step Today

You don’t have to figure this out alone. Book an initial consult with our expert legal team and get clear answers about your situation.

  • Transparent quotes (no ‘bill shock’)
  • Rapid response
  • Award winning team
Andrew Henshaw
Managing Director
Award Winning Law Firm – Top Specialist Firm & Top Boutique Firm (Australasian Lawyer)

Our Directors

Managing Director

Andrew Henshaw

Director

Demian Walton

Director

Jennifer Maher

Director

Jess Hill

Director

Rajan Verma

Director

Robert Osler

Director

Seamus Ryan

Director

Tori Kilby

Director

Greg Thomas

Land Tax Investigations and the Evidence Behind the Assessment

A land tax investigation usually starts with a letter, but the issue is rarely the document request alone. The revenue authority may be checking whether the facts behind a property, exemption, surcharge or ownership structure match the way land tax has been assessed.

A land tax investigation lawyer can help property owners, trustees, developers and advisers work out what is really being tested, what supporting evidence matters and how to respond before the issue becomes a reassessment, penalty question or broader dispute.

Work out what the enquiry is really testing

A State Revenue Office (SRO) land tax investigation, SRO enquiry or Revenue NSW enquiry may ask about ownership, residence, leases, trust arrangements, related entities, land use or surcharge treatment. The letter may look administrative, but the response can shape what happens next.

Before gathering documents, it is worth identifying the actual issue. The authority may be checking:

  • Which properties and assessment years are under review
  • Whether the issue concerns ownership, use, exemption or surcharge treatment
  • Whether a principal place of residence exemption or primary production land exemption is being tested
  • Whether the property was vacant, leased, developed, occupied or used differently from earlier years
  • Whether the land was held personally, jointly, through a company or through a trust
  • Whether related entities, leases, development arrangements or interstate ownership are relevant
  • Whether the matter may lead to a land tax reassessment, penalty tax and interest, or a formal objection.

A careful first review can help avoid a response that is too broad, incomplete or inconsistent with the legal position.

Build the evidence before responding

Land tax investigations often depend on records that already existed before the enquiry arrived. Contracts, settlement statements, trust deeds, leases, utility records, occupancy documents, insurance records, council material, financial records, company records, correspondence and statutory declarations may all be relevant.

The evidence should be organised around the issue being tested. A residence exemption question may need occupancy evidence. A trust land tax issue may require the trust deed, ownership records, beneficiary information and earlier notices to the revenue authority. A surcharge matter may need evidence of residency, control, foreign connections or absentee owner status.

If the issue involves vacant residential land tax, the review should focus on how the property was actually used during the relevant period, not just what the owner intended to do with it.

Do not treat the response as a simple explanation

A rushed response can create problems if it assumes the rules apply in a particular way, misses a key document or gives an explanation that later needs to be corrected. In some matters, the better first step is to ask what the authority says is missing, inconsistent or under review before providing a full response.

This is especially important where the facts have changed over time. A property may have moved from private use to rental use. A trust may have changed trustee or beneficiary arrangements. A development site may have had periods of vacancy, leasing, construction or sale preparation. Those details can change the evidence needed.

A land tax investigation lawyer can help identify which documents support the position, where the gaps are, and whether the matter is better handled as a correction, reassessment request, objection or part of a broader land tax disputes strategy.

When the investigation becomes a dispute

Some investigations resolve once the right evidence is provided. Others lead to a reassessment, surcharge issue, penalty position or disagreement about whether a land tax exemption applies.

If the matter escalates, the response should identify the relevant land, the assessment issue, the legal basis for the taxpayer’s position and the documents that support it. A short explanation may not be enough where the issue involves trust treatment, a disputed exemption, land tax surcharge exposure or inconsistent State Revenue Office records.

How Velocity Legal can help

Velocity Legal’s tax lawyers assist property owners, trustees, developers, investors, family groups and advisers with land tax investigations. We review investigation letters, identify the issue, gather supporting evidence, prepare submissions, respond to SRO or Revenue NSW enquiries, advise on reassessments and assist with objections or escalated disputes.

If you have received a land tax investigation letter, contact Velocity Legal before responding, uploading documents or making statements that may affect your position. Read Less

Frequently Asked Questions
What is a land tax investigation?
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A land tax investigation is a review by a state revenue authority into whether land tax has been correctly assessed. It may focus on ownership, land use, exemptions, surcharge treatment, trust arrangements, or whether all relevant land has been disclosed.
Why have I received a land tax investigation letter?
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A letter may be issued because the revenue authority is checking whether land has been correctly assessed or whether an exemption or surcharge position is accurate. It may also arise from data matching, changes in ownership records, or information suggesting that further review is required.
Can Revenue NSW or the Victorian State Revenue Office reassess past land tax?
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In some circumstances, a revenue authority may issue a reassessment after an investigation. The position depends on the facts, the relevant state rules, and the basis on which the original assessment or exemption was applied.
What evidence may be relevant in a land tax investigation?
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Relevant evidence may include contracts, settlement documents, trust deeds, lease agreements, utility records, occupancy records, financial records, correspondence, and documents showing how the land was used. The evidence required will depend on what the investigation is asking about.
Can my accountant or conveyancer respond to a land tax investigation?
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An accountant or conveyancer may assist with records and background information. Legal advice is often important where the issue involves exemptions, ownership structures, trusts, surcharge treatment, objections, or a disputed reassessment.

Take the First
Step Today

You don’t have to figure this out alone. Book an initial consult with our expert legal team and get clear answers about your situation.

  • Transparent quotes (no ‘bill shock’)
  • Rapid response
  • Award winning team
Book Consult
4.9
89 Google Reviews
Award Winning Law Firm – Top Specialist Firm & Top Boutique Firm (Australasian Lawyer)