PAY up or move on. That’s the word from the Launceston City Council as it tries to recoup rate arrears of almost $114,000 dating back to 2008.
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The council has threatened to sell 18 properties it advertised recently, including houses, flats and blocks of land.
Landowners have been advised they have until Monday, August 3, to make payment of their rate arrears or the sale process will begin.
Some of the unpaid rates date back to July 2008, with the amounts owing ranging from $1223 to as much as $25,668, for a total of $113,795.
Council general manager Robert Dobrzynski confirmed putting the properties on the market was the last measure.
He said the process was in accordance with the Local Government Act.
‘‘There has been the usual process of instalment notices, reminder letters, [often] direct phone calls, [and] lodgement with the council’s debt collection agency,’’ Mr Dobrzynski said.
If the rates and charges remained unpaid, the properties would be auctioned through the normal process and from one location.
When asked how much the council might make, Mr Dobrzynski said the council expected to recoup the unpaid rates. He said an advertisement was published on Saturday, but the council had not yet heard from any of the landowners.
A council spokesman said some properties listed for potential sale in 2012 could go up for sale again if the landowner had fallen behind in rates again.
It is understood that no properties were sold in 2012.
Tasmanian councils regularly sell off properties when they cannot recoup rates, every three to four years.
In January Dorset Council listed 10 properties for sale through public auction and made application to the Local Government Minister for another eight to be transferred to council ownership.
Nine properties were eventually sold in March, making a total of $56,750 for the council.
Last July Break O’Day Council listed 24 properties – all vacant land – for sale.
Mayor Mick Tucker said he could not recall the exact number sold but many landowners came out of the woodwork and paid up once their name was published in the paper, he said. The council had found there were many reasons for not paying up, including people who had moved away, financial hardship or, in a deceased estate, an executor being unaware of ownership.