If you're looking for help in appealing your property valuation, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald warns against using third-party companies.

The county offers assistance for free at the County Fiscal Office and the Board of Revision.

ValueAppeal of Seattle and Tax Compliance Services, a company with a Cleveland mailing address, are two companies mailing letters to Cuyahoga County taxpayers indicating the county’s value of their property might be in incorrect and that "the owners could be overpaying by thousands of dollars," a press release from the county says.

Some companies offer "a custom or specialized report" for a price, said Cuyahoga County Fiscal Officer Wade Steen. "However, the truth is owners can do their own research and file a complaint at no charge with the County’s Board of Revision (BOR)."

Homeowners are advised to review recent sales of comparable properties for similar properties within their neighborhood to determine market conditions and values. Promises of 'risk free' filings are misleading.

Each case is considered on its supporting evidence.

“The BOR has the authority to determine a 'No Change,' 'Decrease' or 'Increase' in valuation when rendering a decision," Steen said.

Owners who believe their property values are inaccurate must file their BOR complaint forms before April 1, 2013. Complaint forms and instructions are available here.