As a real estate professional I have used TURC for over 25 years. I understand the amount of time and work it takes to put these packages together and submit to the County tax body. They are well worth the money. They keep you up to date on what's happening. You won't win everytime, but every little bit helps and it slows down the process of the taxes climbing. read more

Have used them for many years or property taxes because of Cook County and they have always been straightforward and most of the time they won the case. I wish they would have a way to check your case electronically besides calling but other than that they are just fine. read more

They appealed through multiple avenues for us and reduced our property taxes immensely.

I agree 100% with the negative reviews. I used TURC because I neglected to comparison-shop. Following two bad experiences, I switched to a more ethical property tax appeal company with more favorable terms. TURC is the acronym for Tax & Utility Reduction Consultants. But on account of their despicable conduct, I prefer to call them "Tax & Utility Reduction Derelicts," or TURD. The Better Business Bureau currently gives "TURD" an "F" rating. The final straw was when I had a question about an amount I was billed for. Geez, a Soviet bureaucracy would have been easier to communicate with. TURD ignored multiple messages but was prompt to send repeated threats to turn my past-due account over to a collection agency. Finally, three months after I sent a letter to their president Frank Novello by Certified Mail, someone actually got around to calling me ... and my simple question escalated into a dispute. Disgusted, I paid the bill and promptly switched to a different company. This was back in 2008. Since then, TURD has ignored repeated requests to remove my name from their phone and mailing lists. In a September 2013 letter to Frank Novello, I stated that I would file complaints with the FTC and the Better Business Bureau unless the unwelcome solicitations stopped. He ignored my letter, so I went ahead and filed the complaints. This had no effect whatsoever, and the mail and annoying phone calls have continued unabated right up to the present time. This is called HARASSMENT. TURD's ongoing refusal to honor my request to place my name on their do-not-call list is in violation of Federal law. read more

Some of the previous reviews must come from turc employees. They're nothing more than a bill collector. Once you sign they will pursue your money forever, and what they provide is nothing more than what you can do yourself in 10 minutes. read more

Not sure how they found my private cell phone number to call and try to sell me on reducing my tax bill. I did not authorize or give them use of my number. You know a company is sketchy if this is how they "find" clients! read more

Please make this review ZERO I had used them for decades and there was savings every time. NOW they place my account into collections!! I now understand ALL of the negative reviews.This might work for people 70 and older, if they still have fax machines, land lines and answering machines. I feel like the husband that came home sober, and late 15 minutes, to have all my stuff moved onto the lawn, and the locks changed, because I stayed out 15 minutes after I said I would be home. Because I did not check a seldom used landline answering machine, I went to collections. They do not use email, not to mention text, hence this fell through the cracks past the 30 day agreement. I had to wait for my Social Security check, to pay them. It has now entered a new arena. How many people can I now steer away from this Old Style company?They also failed to take an agreed payment, perhaps to justify their collections action. Run, don't walk away from them read more

So.... Got a few more cards from these folks, saying they can reduce my taxes, but meanwhile, I'm looking into doing it myself. I am not a tax lawyer, neither do I play one on TV but all the forms are online. Just fill them out yourself and send them in. I did it myself and got my OWN TAXES REDUCED! You can too. While there online I found out that the entire area near O'Hare will have its taxes reduced the second half of 2017 because of the noise pollution from the airport. If these stinkers (TURC) are calling you its because they found that out too, and want half of your tax deduction to go into their pockets! Aside from that news, there is this: "Cook Country Tax Assessor Berrios stressed that homeowners do not need an attorney to file an appeal. There is no fee. A single-family homeowner may compare his or her assessment to those of similar homes." All this is available online, just look up the information and print it out. You can do this! read more

STAY AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY. Beware this company. They sent letters on their letterhead stating that they have successfully lowered my property tax rate. The state has no record of this action. Then they send you a bill for some exaggerated amount because they said they lowered our taxes, which they did not. I tried to contact them but you only get a voice mail. There is no live person to discuss the false information that they are sending you. One of the letters I received names a John Xydakis and just says Law office so not sure what that means. I sent TURC several letters and got no reply. Further, they then send you to a collection company out of California that has the WORST credit solicitation tactics. The person I spoke with said he wouldn't even listen to me. Said I owed the money, no matter what!!!! They have the lowest BBB rating possible. I have also filed a complaint with both the California and Illinois State Attorney's offices. read more

Great job Turc , they were able to lower my property taxes by $ 500 so I am very happy with their services read more

STAY AWAY FROM THIS BUSINESS (Frank R. Novello) AND OTHERS LIKE THEM. This business takes advantage of people unfamiliar with the confusing, inaccurate, incompetent tax system in cook county. What TURC does is collect $100 from potential clients upfront and then they assign an "attorney" to your case. They promise you will see a substantial "property tax reduction." Then when they send an official looking letter from the Cook County Board of Review, it states an very inflated made-up "original assessment" versus the new board of review final figure. They claimed this reduction to be almost $13,000 but again that was based on the arbitrary inflated proposed assessment they use to compare to the actual assessment after their "appeal." If they compared my actual last year's assessment to the actual assessment after their "appeal," the assessment figure is $1,400 less. whoopee! They claimed I would see a tax savings of almost $2,600, but my taxes actually went up by $1,200 because of the increased tax rate. They charge 50% of 1st yr savings, which in my case was $1,300. THERE WAS NO SAVINGS!!! Also when I call the assessors office & board of review & look online, there is NO RECORD OF ANY APPEAL EVER filed for my property. So, to recap: I paid TURC $1,300, and my taxes went up $1,200. Lesson learned: do your own research and legwork. You can easily file the appeal yourself if you have a few minutes and the right figures in front of you. I didn't have either at the time, and got duped. Oh, and 2 months later, they're calling to see if I'd like to do it again. Uh, no thanks. read more

I have used Turc for many years. The service has consistently had the fair market value of my home reduced, from the assessors overvalued estimates. I use Turc because I don't want the hassle of dealing with Cook Counties screwy tax system myself. I am sorry so many others have had problems, I have not. They lose 1 star because they use to apply the $100.00 app fee towards the final result, now they do not. read more

Worst customer service I've ever dealt with. They have the most ignorant people working the phones and when a problem comes up, they won't let you talk to anyone of authority. I was awarded a reduction in my taxes and they demanded payment long before I would ever see my refund. I paid them and got a letter from a collection agency a month later!!. I will be contacting the BBB and may take legal action. Still no payment for my refund yet... They offer no help for the steps you need to take to actually get your money back fron the state either. They want their payment and that's where it ends. read more

Like other reviewers, I wish there a zero stars option. I hate this company so much. I used them once a number of years ago, the "appeal" was unsuccessful and it took me FIVE FULL YEARS of constant badgering to get the $100 retainer back. Now, I am not only receiving solicitation calls from them - and I'm on the Do Not Call registry - but I have a "Telebouncer" answering machine that says I only accept calls from family and friends (who must press "1" to get through), otherwise the caller should hang up now. They even violate that and go through anyway. I just filed a complaint with the FCC Do Not Call registry. read more

I have used TURC to appeal our taxes in our rental home and for the home we live in. They were able to save us almost $2800 on our rental property taxes a year and $1300 on the home we live in, which is a condo. We could not be happier. All told, the services cost us $99 each as a down payment and then we owed them an additional $270 on the rental home and $56 on the condo. That is the deal of the century. I am telling everyone I know about them so everyone can save some cash. With property values in the toilet, now is the time to appeal your property taxes!!! read more

I returned a mailing I got from TURC hoping that my property taxes could be lowered as described in the mailing. Long story short, no money saved. And then this nightmare ensued. The bill was over $1,000 too high as a zero had been added to a number that was to have been only a bit over a hundred. It was visible to the naked eye as an error on the bill. I called daily for three days and each time got a voice mail. I left my name and number each time. I also emailed. I then stepped it up to call twice each day and again, each time got a voice mail with no response ever. This went on for about two weeks. After about three weeks, I got a threatening mailing that said if I didn't pay the bill in full it would be turned over to collections. Again, I called and emailed and nobody ever responded. I desperately contacted local media. Channel 7 in Chicago called me back. They listened to my story then called TURC. Within five minutes, I got a call from TURC stating they were unaware of the error and that they were going to send me a bill reflecting the correct amount. Channel 7 used the same contact information I had yet I was never called or emailed from TURC. It's okay to make a mistake. It's not okay to ignore the people you are supposedly helping. This was clearly a case of trying to extort funds in a threatening manner. I wouldn't think so except for the prompt response when a local news station called. To this day I get phone calls and mailings from TURC and they are completely oblivious to our history. I would avoid them as they are sloppy and unethical at best. read more

This company has saved me thousands of dollars! My neighbors have smaller houses and pay about 35% more per year, or about $4500 per year more than me, and I have the biggest house on the block! This company is fantastic! Sure, I had to pay them $1700 to reduce my taxes, but I save $3400 every year for three years! That's $10,200 people! Sure, my neighbors appealed and got slight reductions but nothing like TURC did. People commenting on here that they can do it themselves should also think about this....you can also cut your own hair, pull your own teeth, pour your own driveway concrete, and change the starter on your car, but do you know how to do it correctly? Call TURC. BTW, I don't work for them! read more

I also don't understand negative comments. TURC has saved us $1,000's over the past 10+ years. Tried the do it yourself path and County rejects automatically in first step and you don't understand the process to not accept a 'NO ACTION' from County. Thanks TURC . I don't not work for them. Jack read more

I have used Turc for the last 10 years for my property and they have done a great job in helping us maintain our tax bill. I recommend them. I personally have not had any issues with them and will use them on our new rental property we just purchased. Like the last person review I paid the 99.00 dollar fee and they have been pretty straight forward either they can or they cant help. read more

I keep receiving their ridiculous cards in the mail, the annoying "last chance to dance". Why would I hire a company that sends harassing mail asking people to send $100 processing fee and collects 50% of savings. They claim they sent me forms to complete, forms I never received or requested. "JUNK MAIL" read more

They have been able to lower my property taxes every year I have used them. They are very helpful and return my phone calls promptly.

I have used TURC for 15+ years. They have consistently lowered my property tax bills. I have always been happy with their work, communication, and outcome. I would highly recommend. I was shocked to see so many negative reviews here. My property taxes on this home that we have lived in for 18 years would be substantially higher without TURC. If they don't get a reduction that they consider appropriate, they take the appeal up to the next level. The Illinois government's very slow process of appeal isn't TURC's fault. read more

This year was the second time I used Turc to appeal my property taxes and both times I got satisfactory results.When I call I usually do not have a problem getting a hold of them.If they don't answer I leave my message and they return my call promptly. I recommend this company. They have been very good to me. Kt read more

We have had success last two times we have used them. They have saved us money. Not sure why all the negative reviews?

I'm using TURC for many years, and they reduce assessment of my property every time I appeal but Cook County Assessor keep changing assessment and % of tax so I don't see too much of gain. I think people of Illinois are hostages of corrupted democratic party and is time to change it. read more

I have used TURC once before and they were very helpful in reducing my taxes. I heard about them from friends that used them for many years and were very happy about the reduction they always received every time they used them. Their staff was very friendly and helpful if I had any questions. If you want to lower your taxes then I recommend using TURC. They lowered my taxes without the hassle and I was very happy with a lower tax bill! read more

Recently used TURC for our property tax appeal. Didnt get the result we were hoping for, and TURC informed us they would not appeal the result because "the savings, if achieved wouldnt be enpugh to justify their time". So much for working with your customers. When I asked for a small 10% fee reduction due to my additional costs for taking on the appeal myself, printing and shipping costs etc, they refused. We are talking about $50 here, not alot to try and keep a customer satisfied. Wouldnt recommend this company, I'm afraid. read more

WARNING!!!!! DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!! Zero stars!! What a bunch of complete and utter incompetent assclowns at this company. If, by some miracle by God Himself you get a refund GOOD LUCK collecting it! The morons at this company have no clue how you get the refund. They act as if you're speaking Chinese and have no idea how to help you. Guess what? The REFUND is the most important part or I wouldn't have called you in the first place! All they know is how to collect their money and threaten you. Stay away my friends. This is a scam and the idiots answering the phones are proof of that! That's all. Have a nice day. read more

I have fought my cook county taxes for many years, on my current property and previous properties. I have used a couple different Property Tax relief agencies. TURC is definitely the best. The staff are kind, knowledgeable, polite, and helpful. And they have always been successful at lowering my property taxes. I strongly recommend them. read more

I wish that had zero stars. That would have been my selection. Avoid TURC like you would a plague. I hired TURC to fight my 2010 property re-assessment. Paid $100.00 and they were denied. (Nice job TURC! What about all those promises from your advertisements?). Then they submitted my claim to the State Property Tax Appeal Board (NOTE: This agency should also be investigated). This took 3-years to get a decision. The State Property Tax Appeal Board finally responded in March 2014. Well, what occurred between 2010 and 2014 was that the new county re-assessment occurred in 2013 for my part of the county. The new re-assessment lowered my property value, like all other homes in the county. This latest assessment accounts for the real estate decline in values we all have experienced since the 2008 economic downturn. I received my new county re-assessment valuation back in May of 2013, one whole year before the State Property Tax Review Board decision was made in 2014. Are you with me? I was re-assessed by the county in May 2013 at a lowered market value. Then sometime after that the State Board reviews my value AT THE NEW LOWERED VALUATION. And guess what? They agreed with it. Of course they would. What does TURC then do? They take claim for this, saying their work with the State Review Board is what got my valuation lowered. Repeated efforts for explanation and agreement were met with incredible ignorance by the staff and dismissal by the company head. In order to avoid a negative credit rating by TURC and collection agency harassment, I ended up paying them the 50% savings that our contract was for. This was a considerable amount (over $700.00). Trust me, stay away from TURC. There are good real estate lawyers you can use and their initial rates are cheaper (e.g., $50.00), or just consider trying it yourself. read more

These clowns call me and mail me nonstop to get me to sign up for their property tax appeals. I've asked them repeatedly to remove me from their lists but they simply hang up without saying another word. What a joke. I've always been polite with them, but it's getting ridiculous. Maybe I need to go to their offices with a cease and desist letter or something... and a bag of dog poop. read more

If I could give them 0 stars I would. After numerous annoying voice mails my husband decided to try these guys out BIG MISTAKE!!! We gave them an initial $100.00 to start the process which took several months. Once they receive your money you never hear from them until they send you a bill in the mail saying we received a reduction on our property taxes and they demand their payment in 10 days. Which if not received in 10 days is subject to late fees and attorney fees. I mailed them half of the payment and sent a note saying I would mail the balance in 30 days. I received a voice mail threatening to take me to collections. Stating I will be subject to late fees and attorney fees if payment was not received by the end of business day today. It hasn't even been 30 days since I received the first letter requesting payment in full. I haven't even received a refund for my taxes, but they sure want their cut. How do I get my refund??? They offer no help. Stay away from them. WORST customer service. Plus never got a credit for my initial payment of $100. Will NEVER use these guys again. They should be put out of business!!!! read more

I wish there was a ZERO star review. I AGREE with all of the negative feedback from others. Do your homework. This is my opinion.

I have talked to Corey at TURC on 3 different occasions to remove me from their mailing list but to no avail. I got another mailing and a phone call and my father in Missouri has gotten mailings for my house in Illinois. I feel I'm being harassed by this company and would NEVER use them for any tax reduction work. There are too many reputable law firms that can do this work and not get harassed. read more

The negative reviews do not at all accord with my experience. I have engaged TURC for over 10 years and have no complaints about their service or effectiveness. read more

I have been using TURC for 15 years. They have consistently lowered my taxes and I am happy to pay them 50% of the first year's savings. Not sure why all these other reviews are negative. I think you only get the initial direct mail from TURC if they have already assessed whether there is significant enough savings to be had. Can't blame them. But if you get the direct mail, you're commitment is $100. A no brainer. read more

I recommend them. I have used them twice and saved money. I plan to use them every time I am assessed. I found them to be very professional and efficient. read more

I have used Turc services in the past and was VERY pleased with the results...I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for tax relief.... read more

Those reviewers who were duped... I feel your pain. TURC stated I received $65/month reduction. Excellent, says I; however, oddly, the next tax bill didn't reflect the savings. Long story short, my own investigation has shown that TURC never filed any papers on my behalf - that's right - NONE! You've read that correctly - NONE! How dare they send a bill for $300!!! The Fates were caring for me, because the bill laid hidden on a messy desk & never paid. Since discovering their fraudulent activities, I, also, have discovered all property owners may file directly to the board. My motto in life: "better in my pocket than anyone elses." I'm looking forward to filing the appeal and actually saving that $100 filing fee & $65/month on my property taxes. read more

Turc is real friendly upfront. However, when they talked to us on the phone they said the $100.00 we sent them would be deducted from the total. Then they sent a contract with updated verbiage not applying the $100.00 against the total. This company does a good job on getting your taxes down but plays dirty. I would rather pay my taxes then do business with unethical business people like turc. Do yourself a favor and read the complaints on the Better Business Bureau read more