By SONJA KOREMANS
Council set to sell pensioner’s home over unpaid rates…
A PENSIONER who says he will be left homeless if the council proceeds with the forced sale of his house next month is hoping for an 11th-hour reprieve.
The sale comes after Leyburn resident Ron Whelan refused to pay his rates, claiming Southern Downs Regional Council was to blame for his house flooding in 2011 and 2013.
The 67-year-old owes the council $5000 in rate arrears.
Faulty road guttering led to a run off into the house during major Queensland floods causing $10,000 damage to the property, Mr Whelan said.
He said the first he knew about the council sale was when house hunters knocked on his door last week asking to inspect “a property bargain being sold by council“.
“I bought the house for $150,000 four years ago but council is only required to sell it for the land value, not the house and land package, to recover the $5000,“ Mr Whelan said.
“I will be lucky if I get a few thousand dollars from the proceeds,“ said Mr Wheland who has paid off his mortgage.
Under the Local Government Act of 2009 the council has the right to recover rates through the sale of land if it does not receive payment after three years.
Mr Whelan said he was not able to get a bank loan to pay off the arrears and is appealing to the council to halt the sale.
“What I would like is for council to give me the chance to sell the house myself and pay the debt, even if I get $50,000 it’s better than what the council will be paid by setting the reserve at land value only.
“But the property has been advertised and I have been told it’s too late.“
The council offered Mr Whelan a hardship instalment plan but he failed to comply with the arrangement.
“I started with the instalments but the home got flooded again and I had to lay all new floors. I couldn’t afford to keep up the payments.“
Mr Whelan said he had not approached banks for a loan to pay the debt.
If the 8 May sale goes ahead, Mr Whelan will be kicked off the property the day before, he said.
Southern Downs Regional Council CEO David Keenan said the sale was a regrettable but necessary decision.
“Council has gone out of its way to help resolve Mr Whelan’s rate issues with a number of staff over the last three years working out a payment arrangement and talking to him about possible payment options, Mr Keenan said.
“Council staff are aware of Mr Whelan’s personal circumstances and when the debt recovery process had been exhausted made it very clear that his house would be listed for sale,“ Mr Keenan said.
He said extensive flooding occurred across the Southern Downs region in 2011 and 2013 and “there is no indication that there was any impact from council infrastructure to cause flooding at Mr Whelan’s property“.
According to council documentation, Mr Whelan has up until “before the auction (10am, 8 May) to pay all outstanding rates, charges, interest and costs of sale when the sale will stop“.
The council said the case highlights a need for homeowners to maintain communication if they experience hardship paying rates.
