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Neglected Kaunas plot stays on unused-land list at 4% tax
Supreme administrative court kept a Kaunas plot on the 2024 unused-land list at the 4% rate: two inspections found grass over 12 cm and weeds, and one mowing plus payment slips did not prove continuous care.
By Taxxa AI OyPublished 11 November 2026
L. T.-K. and T. T.-K. challenged the Kaunas City Municipality Administration director's order Nr. A1-333 of 17 September 2024, which placed their plot on the Nenaudojamų žemės sklypų 2024 metų sąrašasTeismai and triggered the 4 percent žemės mokestis rate for 2024
Teismai. The Kaunas council, by decision Nr. T-201 of 14 May 2019, taxes unused land on the list and neglected agricultural land at 4 percent of taxable value
Teismai
Teismai, and the same rate applied for 2024
Teismai. The Regionų Administrative Court by judgment of 15 May 2025 dismissed the challenge
Teismai.
The Lietuvos vyriausiasis administracinis teismas, by Nutartis Nr. eA-968-1047/2026 of 11 November 2026, dismissed the owners' appealTeismai and left that judgment standing
Teismai. Unused land means a plot or part that is unused or unmaintained in breach of the Kauno miesto tvarkymo ir švaros taisyklės
Teismai, and point 7.3 of those rules requires users to keep assigned land continuously clean, prevent bushes and weeds, and mow periodically so grass does not exceed 12 cm
Teismai
E TAR. The Aleksotas eldership's inspection acts Nr. 01-8-367 of 26 June 2024 and Nr. 01-8-635 of 13 August 2024, with photo fixations, recorded weeds and grass above 12 cm on both visits
Teismai
Teismai, and the owners did not dispute those facts
Teismai.
The listing procedure was followed.Teismai The eldership warned the owners by letter of 27 June 2024
Teismai and gave at least 30 calendar days to cure
Teismai, as point 6 of the Nenaudojamos žemės nustatymo tvarkos aprašas requires
Teismai, then re-inspected before the municipality's land-lease-tax unit drafted the list order
Teismai within ten working days under point 9
Teismai. The only documented mowing was on 18 July 2024
Teismai, after the first inspection
Teismai, yet the 13 August re-inspection again found grass above the limit and weeds
Teismai
Teismai. Bank transfers to UAB "Aplinkos priežiūros centras" proved only that money moved
Teismai, not what service, where or when was performed
Teismai, and no maintenance contract was produced
Teismai. Favourable growing weather does not excuse mowing
Teismai, and maintenance must be continuous rather than triggered by inspections
Teismai.
A re-inspection eight days after the authority's own indicated dateTeismai was not a procedural breach
Teismai, because the governing acts set no fixed re-inspection deadline
Teismai. Owners who claim a plot is used and maintained must prove it
Teismai, and on this record the courts found they had not shown compliant care at any point between the first inspection and the order
Teismai. Legal basis: Žemės mokesčio įstatymas; Kauno miesto tarybos sprendimai Nr. T-286 (Aprašas) ir Nr. T-559 (Tvarkymo ir švaros taisyklės 7.3) bei Nr. T-201 (4 proc. tarifas); Administracinių bylų teisenos įstatymas 140 and 144(1)(1).
Keep dated mowing and weeding records, a maintenance contract and per-visit confirmations covering the whole period between inspections.