November 18, 2017
The South Burnett Regional Council has sold off 11 properties at auction to recover more than $100,000 in unpaid rates.
The auction was held at the Kingaroy Town Common Hall on Tuesday, November 14 and was attended by more than 30 people.
All properties listed in the auction were sold.
By law, the Council has the ability – and a legal obligation – to sell land on which any rates or charges have remained unpaid for more than three years.
The proceeds of the sales go towards paying unpaid rates and charges, along with any other charges associated with each property and recovery costs.
Any proceeds over and above the outstanding debt – including all costs associated with the sale process – are forwarded to the previous owner of the property after settlement.
“Selling a person’s property really is a last resort for Council,” a Council spokesperson said.
“Council would like to encourage any resident who may be struggling to pay their rates to contact our Rates section on (07) 4189-9100.
“There are a variety of payment options available including formal arrangements that allow rates to be paid on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis.
“The aim is to ease the financial burden of half yearly rates, and interest charges are placed on hold as long as the payment agreement is adhered to.
“Council cannot emphasise enough the importance of contacting Council if ratepayers are having difficulty in meeting their rates payment obligations.”
