By using the residentialtaxappeal.com (“RTA”) website, related data, and/or related services (collectively, “Services”), you (“You”) agree to be bound by the following terms of use (“Terms”).
Personal Use. You agree to use the Services for Your personal use. Subject to the restrictions set forth in the following paragraphs, You agree not to otherwise reproduce, modify, distribute, decompile, disassemble or reverse engineer any portion of the Services.
No guaranteed savings. RTA does not represent, warrant, promise, or guarantee that an assessment appeal application prepared with the assistance of the Services will be timely or successful, that the assessed value of your property or the property tax you pay will be reduced or refunded in any amount or proportion, or that the assessed value of your property or the property tax you pay will not be increased as a result of your application or appeal.
No Government Affiliation. RTA is not a governmental entity and is not affiliated with any governmental entity.
Limitation of services. The Services and the purpose for which they are provided are limited to assisting You with the preparation of an assessment appeal application and supplying comparable sales data based on public records to support that application. The Services will provide you with the information and instructions necessary to file your online appeal, and no further Services will be provided to You or on behalf of Your property, or Your assessment appeal application after that point. In particular, but without limitation, the Services do not include and RTA will not provide any oral or physical appearance or representation of You or Your property for any purpose before any state, county, municipal, or other governmental entity or taxing authority.
Your responsibilities. The accuracy, performance, and usefulness of the Services are dependent upon numerous factors beyond the responsibility or control of RTA, most of which are entirely within Your responsibility and control, including but not limited to the content and quality of Your submission, Your review, selection, and approval of comparable sales data and other variables, Your timely delivery or service of a completed assessment appeal application to all of the proper authorities, Your prompt response to and interaction with Your county assessor or other appropriate official or authority after filing Your application, and Your timely and competent presentation of Your appeal to the appropriate appellate board, panel, court, or other body, if an appearance is required. The decision to file or not to file an assessment appeal application prepared with the assistance of the Services is entirely Your own, and it is Your responsibility alone to complete, sign, print, and file Your application in a timely manner and to pursue to a final determination any such application You may choose to file. You are also required to pay the property tax initially assessed regardless of whether and when You have filed an assessment appeal or whether Your appeal is pending. You are solely responsible for the timely payment in full of all property taxes and any charges, penalties, and interest that may apply in the event of late payment, underpayment, or nonpayment.
Fees. The fee charged by RTA is solely for the Services provided to assist You to prepare an assessment appeal application supported by comparable sales data and no portion of the fee RTA collects will be paid to state, county, or municipal tax assessor, tax collector, or other appropriate authority on Your behalf.
Refunds / Cancellations. After purchasing our Services, you will have full access to search for your property, collect the required data to file your appeal, and gain access to our detailed step-by-step instructions. As a result, we cannot issue refunds once the Services are purchased.
Intellectual Property. The Services are the property of RTA and subject to the intellectual property rights of RTA and its licensors.
No warranty. RTA provides the Services “as is,” “with all faults” and “as available,” and the entire risk as to satisfactory quality, performance, accuracy, and effort is with You. The data provided by RTA concerning comparable properties are deemed accurate but not guaranteed. RTA makes no representation or warranty concerning the accuracy of such data, and specifically disclaims any warranty, express or implied, that such data is accurate or that any of the reported information is or will be deemed by tax appeal authorities to be valid, usable, or comparable in support of your appeal or to the property that is the subject of your appeal.
Exclusive remedy; liability limitation. If You do not agree with any part of these terms of use, or You have any dispute or claim against RTA with respect to these terms of use or the services, then Your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using the services. If and to any extent that such exclusive remedy is deemed to be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, then the liability of RTA, its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, and suppliers, if any, to any user shall be limited to the amount of fees paid by You to RTA. In no event will RTA or any of its officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, or suppliers be liable for any indirect, consequential, special, incidental, or punitive damages arising out of, based on, or resulting from these terms of use or your use or RTAs provision of the Services, even if such party has been advised of the possibility of such damages. The exclusion of damages under this paragraph is independent of Your exclusive remedy and survives in the event such exclusive remedy fails of its essential purpose or is otherwise deemed unenforceable. These limitations and exclusions apply without regard to whether the damages arise from (a) breach of contract, (b) breach of warranty, (c) negligence, or (d) any other cause of action, to the extent such exclusion and limitations are not prohibited by applicable law.
Licenses. RTA is not a licensed real estate broker, agent, or appraiser and does not act as a real estate broker, agent, or appraiser. Any statement or proposal provided through or derived from Your use of the Services as to the value of Your property for assessment purposes is an estimate and proposal only and is not intended and shall not be deemed to constitute a real estate appraisal of any kind. You may not rely upon any such statement or proposal of value, or any other information provided by or derived from Your use of the Services to estimate or establish the value of Your or any other property for fair market, re-sale, or any other purpose not directly related to an assessment appeal.
Modifications. RTA reserves the right at any time and for any reason to change these Terms, and You are responsible for regularly reviewing these Terms. Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of such changes will constitute acceptance of and agreement to any such changes. RTA may suspend or discontinue the Services at any time to You and/or to others, without notice.
Jurisdiction. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to its conflict of laws provisions. You agree to submit to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the state and federal courts sitting in Cook County, Illinois for any and all disputes, claims and actions arising from or in connection with the Services and/or these Terms. In any dispute arising under this Agreement, the prevailing party will be entitled to attorneys fees and expenses.
General. If any part of these Terms are determined to be invalid or unenforceable, then the invalid or unenforceable provision will be replaced with a valid, enforceable provision that most closely matches the intent of the original provision and the remainder of these Terms will continue in effect. The section titles in these Terms are solely used for the convenience of the parties and have no legal or contractual significance. RTA may assign this Agreement, in whole or in part, at any time with or without notice to you. You may not assign these Terms, or assign, transfer or sublicense Your rights, if any, in the Services. RTA’s failure to act with respect to a breach by You or others does not waive its right to act with respect to subsequent or similar breaches. Except as expressly stated herein or elsewhere in the Services, these Terms constitute the entire agreement between You and RTA with respect to the Services and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications of any kind between You and RTA with respect to the Services.
Third-Party Data. The Services rely on property and tax data supplied by various third parties, including the government. The information obtained by RTA from third-party sources is deemed reliable but its accuracy and completeness is not guaranteed and has not been independently verified by RTA. By using the Services, You assume all risks related to or arising from the source, quality, and potential inaccuracy or incompleteness of such third-party data. The data provided by RTA with respect to comparable properties is provided by the government, either directly or through one or more third-party vendors, and RTA does not have direct access to property cards or other tax records that might disclose additional information or limitations as to the viability of reported comparables for purposes of property tax appeals. It is Your responsibility to verify the nature and details of transactions which you intend to use as comparables in support of Your appeal to determine if they have features or attributes that would impair their usability or usefulness. Among other things, transactions or valuation evidence involving the following may be invalid or inferior for comparison purposes: properties not in reasonable proximity to the subject property; properties at other than arms length or outside the established real estate marketplace; properties under duress (e.g., properties pursuant to the power of eminent domain, foreclosure sales, etc.); non-market properties; and contingent purchase contracts.
Data You Supply. The Services also rely on data supplied by You. Because RTA has no control over the data You provide while using the Services, RTA cannot be responsible and RTA will not be liable for any appeal application materials generated by the Services that are false, inaccurate, or unhelpful because of the data You supplied or any unsuccessful assessment appeal or other adverse consequences caused or contributed to by such data.