Loxton Waikerie Council forces sale of 58 Riverland properties to recover rate debts

A Riverland council is selling almost 60 properties in a last-ditch attempt to recoup unpaid rates.

The District Council of Loxton Waikerie will auction a range of properties later this month, including vacant land, houses and cropping land.

The 58 properties scheduled to go under the hammer are in Alawoona, Bugle Hut, Caliph, Kringin, Maggea, Malpas, Meribah, Murbko, Paruna, Peebinga, Pyap, Taldra, Talpan, Veitch, Waikerie, Woodleigh and Wunkar.

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The District Council of Loxton Waikerie is selling almost 60 properties to recoup unpaid rates.

The council’s website says it follows a strict debt recovery policy to collect outstanding rates and charges.

“If all recovery steps have been taken and a property remains more than three years in arrears, Council has the authority under the Local Government Act to sell the land by public auction,” it says.

“Each year, the chief executive officer provides a list of eligible properties to Council for consideration.

“Following this, a notice of intention to sell is issued to the registered owners.

“If payment is not received or no contact is made, Council commences the legal process to auction the property.”

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A council can only sell properties if all recovery steps have been taken and a property remains more than three years in arrears.

All the properties will be sold as is and no internal inspections are allowed prior to their sale.

The list of properties for sale could change before auction day, for example if one of the owners clears their outstanding debts.

Anyone who purchases the properties will also face a $390 minimum rates charge for this financial year.

The council was contacted for comment ahead of the auction, which will be held from noon on September 11 at The Precinct in Loxton by Elders Loxton.

It comes after Peterborough Council sold eight properties at auction earlier in the year to recover unpaid rates.

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The auction is scheduled for September 11.

The six houses and two vacant blocks, all of which were in Peterborough local government area, were sold for various prices between $46,000 and $137,000 in May.

Selling agent Angus Barnden, of Wardle Co Real Estate, said at the time one other property that was due to be auction was withdrawn at the eleventh hour as the vendor paid their debt.

Each of the properties auctioned were in various states of neglect and disrepair and expected to fetch no more than $80,000 each.

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