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Southeast Queensland local councils to seize houses to recover $32 million in unpaid rates
ON THE LINE: Southeast Queensland councils may seize properties as they attempt to recoup up to $32 million in rates. Source: AAP
QUEENSLAND homes are on the line as councils move to recover millions in unpaid rates.
Figures obtained by The Courier-Mail show three of the biggest southeast Queensland councils are currently owed more than $32 million.
Two city councils, Logan and Redland, are considering selling up to 44 homes to recover more than $350,000 in unpaid rates and charges.
Councils have the right to sell a home under the Local Government (Finances Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010, if some or all of the overdue rates have been outstanding for at least three years and are not the subject of court action.
Moreton Bay Regional Council is owed about $14 million, Brisbane City Council about $12.9 million and Logan City Council about $6.2 million in overdue rates.
More than 5400 property owners in Logan have outstanding rates bills.
A council spokeswoman said there were 31 residential properties at risk of being sold to recover outstanding bills totalling $290,000.
The affected ratepayers have until the auction to repay their debts and save their homes.
Redland City Council is also considering selling 13 houses to recoup $66,837.84 in unpaid rates and charges.
Two of the properties are in Cleveland, four are on Macleay Island and seven are located on Russell Island. A decision is expected at a council meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
RCC acting chief executive Mike Hyde said selling houses was a last-resort action.
"Every effort to contact and reach agreement with landholders is made before regulated legal action is taken," he said.
"For council to be financially responsible it must manage its debt levels on behalf of all ratepayers, and this includes recovery of unpaid rates."
A Moreton Bay Regional Council spokesman said about 13,000 properties in its region had outstanding rates payments as of June 30, 2010.
But he said council rarely turned to forced sales to recover the missing rates revenue, using the measure just once since amalgamation in 2008.
Brisbane City Council currently has 7552 outstanding rates bills on its books, about 1.7 per cent of the 446,916 accounts.
That number is down slightly on 2009 when, at the height of the global financial crisis, 8498 property owners had outstanding bills totalling $13.3 million.
BCC has not sold any homes due to overdue rates in the past 12 months.
- by Sarah Vogler
- From: The Courier-Mail
- August 23, 2010 12:00AM
ON THE LINE: Southeast Queensland councils may seize properties as they attempt to recoup up to $32 million in rates. Source: AAP
QUEENSLAND homes are on the line as councils move to recover millions in unpaid rates.
Figures obtained by The Courier-Mail show three of the biggest southeast Queensland councils are currently owed more than $32 million.
Two city councils, Logan and Redland, are considering selling up to 44 homes to recover more than $350,000 in unpaid rates and charges.
Councils have the right to sell a home under the Local Government (Finances Plans and Reporting) Regulation 2010, if some or all of the overdue rates have been outstanding for at least three years and are not the subject of court action.
Moreton Bay Regional Council is owed about $14 million, Brisbane City Council about $12.9 million and Logan City Council about $6.2 million in overdue rates.
More than 5400 property owners in Logan have outstanding rates bills.
A council spokeswoman said there were 31 residential properties at risk of being sold to recover outstanding bills totalling $290,000.
The affected ratepayers have until the auction to repay their debts and save their homes.
Redland City Council is also considering selling 13 houses to recoup $66,837.84 in unpaid rates and charges.
Two of the properties are in Cleveland, four are on Macleay Island and seven are located on Russell Island. A decision is expected at a council meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
RCC acting chief executive Mike Hyde said selling houses was a last-resort action.
"Every effort to contact and reach agreement with landholders is made before regulated legal action is taken," he said.
"For council to be financially responsible it must manage its debt levels on behalf of all ratepayers, and this includes recovery of unpaid rates."
A Moreton Bay Regional Council spokesman said about 13,000 properties in its region had outstanding rates payments as of June 30, 2010.
But he said council rarely turned to forced sales to recover the missing rates revenue, using the measure just once since amalgamation in 2008.
Brisbane City Council currently has 7552 outstanding rates bills on its books, about 1.7 per cent of the 446,916 accounts.
That number is down slightly on 2009 when, at the height of the global financial crisis, 8498 property owners had outstanding bills totalling $13.3 million.
BCC has not sold any homes due to overdue rates in the past 12 months.
