'They made a mistake. I'm having to pay for it': Homeowner says Travis Central Appraisal District error cost him thousands
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Patrick Perez said the pride he felt for his home in south Austin has steadily morphed into panic over the last few months. He said the cause is partly from a filing error by the Travis Central Appraisal District that has cost him thousands of dollars.
"This house is from 2015. It was one of those experiences where I had a really good year with my business, and so I decided I'm gonna move somewhere and have a real home," Perez said.
In 2022, Perez said his family's lifestyle called for a change. He said the family moved to Bastrop but kept their south Austin home as a rental property managed by a third party.
Perez said he filed paperwork with both Bastrop County and Travis County's appraisal districts to transfer his homestead exemption from his Austin home to his Bastrop residence.
"The Bastrop County Appraisal District responded, 'Hey, we got the paperwork. Thank you.' The Travis County Appraisal District sent me an autoresponder. 'Hey, we're really busy. We are backed up. We'll get back to you in 10 days.' Ten days was about, almost two and a half, three years later," Perez said.
It was this past December when Perez said he received an update from the Travis County's tax officials about his home.
According to Perez, the note reflected penalty fees, back taxes and interest owned on his Austin home; this as a result of the homestead exemption on that property still being in place and violating property codes.
"I get a bill with penalty fees all the way back to 2022 for about $8,200," Perez said.
Perez said he acknowledges he should have checked his paperwork before last year, but holds TCAD partly responsible as well.
He said he's sought a resolution with TCAD and the Travis County Tax Office to no avail. After months of messages, he said he paid the owed amount with credit cards as a last resort.
"I have this issue now where they made a mistake. I'm having to pay for it," Perez said.
Travis Central Appraisal District responds to claims of filing error
We reached out to TCAD for an interview on Perez's situation. The agency declined an interview, but a spokesperson addressed Perez's claims with a statement.
We regret that the issue was not addressed in 2022. However, it was Mr. Perez’s responsibility to ensure that his property’s details were accurate. Property owners are responsible for reviewing their notices and bills to address issues as quickly as possible. According to state law, Mr. Perez is liable for the taxes on his property.
Travis Central Appraisal District Spokesperson
Emails provided by Perez show his correspondence over several months with TCAD staff about the paperwork problem.
In one message from March 2025, TCAD said, "I nor others can provide you with a definitive answer as to why your Homestead Exemption was not removed in 2022. It appears to have been a recording omission."
Perez said he's not sure what will happen next for his complaint, but that he reached out to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which is now looking into the issue.
He said he hopes his story will encourage other homeowners to double-check that their filings are up-to-date and have been registered by property tax entities.
According to TCAD, questions and concerns about the agency's policies and procedures should be directed to its Taxpayer Liaison Officer. Find that contact information here.