SA council selling Peterborough properties to recoup unpaid rates

Inspections are strictly prohibited, with potential buyers facing trespassing charges if they

break the rules, but that won’t stop immense interest in nine Peterborough properties set to be

auctioned later this month.

Owners of the seven houses and two vacant blocks have defaulted on their rates, forcing the

Peterborough Council to sell the Mid North properties in a last-ditch effort to recover the

debts.

Wardle Co Real Estate selling agent Angus Barnden is expecting massive interest in the

properties, which look to be in various states of neglect and disrepair and are expected to

fetch no more than $80,000 each.

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The property at 102 Queen St is one of the houses Peterborough Council is selling.

The house at 106 Queen St will also go under the hammer.

On Hill Street West, the house at number 94 is up for grabs.

On the same street, number 118 will be sold.

Mr Barnden said one home would likely sell for only $50,000, while the vacant land parcels

were expected to go for anywhere between $30,000 and $40,000.

“The price will drive the interest,’’ Mr Barnden said.

“If you look at Adelaide, the average price is a million dollars and even out in the suburbs

the average price is $600,000 but not everyone can afford that.

“If you buy (a house) for $50,000 and put some new floors in and a kitchen and bathroom

and maybe clean up the yard it might cost you around 100 grand – but you’ve still got a

liveable house for 150 grand and where else can you buy for that?’’

It’s believed at least two of the homes are currently occupied.

Mr Barnden said the owners still retained legal ownership of the properties until the auction

hammer fell, preventing him from obtaining photos inside the homes or from conducting

buyer inspections.

“It’s a bit complicated,’’ he said.

“If there are people there (in the houses) then they don’t tend to take it too lightly that their property is being taken away from them.

“The council don’t have the legal ownership of the land so anybody that enters without the

landowners’ consent is actually considered to be trespassing.’’

The cottage at 29 Princess St is also on the to-sell list.

As is the house at 54 Bourke St.

The block of land at 91 Dawson Rd is offering prospective buyers a fresh start.

The property at 29 Kitchener St has a lot to offer prospective buyers.

Househunters might need to get creative with the property at 46 Fowlers Rd if they buy it.

Should the outstanding debts be paid before the auction, the properties would be pulled from

sale, Mr Barnden said.

However, once sold, ownership would pass to the successful buyer.

Mr Barnden was unsure whether the current landholders would attend the auction, to be held

at the Peterborough Town Hall on Friday, May 30 at 12 noon.

He said there had been strong interest in all properties, with most buyers keen to restore the

homes to live in, rent or “flip’’.

Last year, The Advertiser revealed councils in metropolitan Adelaide were owed more than

$43m in unpaid rates, with the cost-of-living crisis blamed for an increase in failures to pay

bills on time and hardship applications.

Under the Local Government Act, councils may sell properties where rates have been in

arrears for at least three years.

Peterborough Council was contacted comment.

– By Lauren Ahwan

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