Centrivant works on a contingency fee basis — we charge 20% of your first year's tax savings, collected only if your assessment is successfully reduced. If your appeal does not result in a reduction, you owe nothing. There are no upfront fees, no retainers, and no hidden charges. This rate is confirmed in your service agreement before we begin any work.

No. Centrivant handles the initial-level appeal as a written submission. In most cases, the county assessor reviews our evidence packet and either reduces the assessment or offers a negotiated settlement — without any formal hearing. If you choose to escalate beyond the initial level, that falls outside our scope, but we'll make sure you're fully informed of your options.

The most common indicators are: comparable homes in your neighborhood have sold for less than your assessment implies; your property has condition issues (deferred maintenance, damage) not reflected in the assessment; or your property record card contains errors (wrong square footage, incorrect room count). In Pennsylvania, we also apply the county's Common Level Ratio to determine whether your assessment ratio exceeds the legal threshold. Submit your details and we'll run this analysis for free.

Once you engage us, we typically prepare and file within one to two weeks. After filing, the county's informal review process generally takes 30 to 90 days. If a settlement is offered, resolution can be faster. From start to finish, most cases resolve within 60 to 120 days of filing.

Pennsylvania uses a base-year assessment system — your assessed value is pegged to market values from a specific historical year, not updated annually. The Common Level Ratio (CLR) is published each year by the State Tax Equalization Board and tells you what percentage of current market value your county is assessing at. If your property's assessment ratio exceeds the CLR by more than 15%, Pennsylvania law entitles you to a reduction — independent of the market value argument. This is one of the most powerful grounds for appeal in PA and one we analyze on every case.

If the county does not reduce your assessment, you owe Centrivant nothing. We'll notify you promptly of the outcome and provide information about your right to escalate to a formal hearing if you choose to do so independently. Denial at the initial level is not the end of the road — you retain all your rights to appeal further.

In rare cases, a county can cross-appeal and attempt to increase your assessment if they believe it is below market value. This is uncommon at the residential level and Centrivant will only recommend filing when our analysis shows clear grounds for reduction. We would not file a case where this risk appears material. We recommend discussing this question with a local attorney if you have specific concerns about a particular property.

We currently serve Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, and New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties in Delaware. Pennsylvania's filing window is open now through August 1, 2026. Delaware's next filing windows open in early 2027 — Kent and New Castle by April 1, Sussex County by March 15. We're actively expanding — if your county isn't listed, submit your details and we'll notify you when your area is available.

For Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, the 2026 appeal deadline is August 1, 2026. This window is open right now. If you miss this deadline, the next opportunity will be in 2027. We strongly recommend starting the process now — preparation takes time and the deadline is firm.

At this time we focus exclusively on residential properties. Commercial property appeals involve a more complex process and higher evidence standards. If you have a commercial property, contact us and we'll do our best to point you toward appropriate resources.