Greater Bendigo's council is poised to seize a parcel of land after an owner failed to pay rates and charges.
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It could take possession of the property on or after September 18 after a Magistrates Court order requiring payment, lawyers from Beck Legal say.
The land's registered owner has failed to pay for at least three years, the lawyers say.
The land is on Axedale-Crosby Road, Toolleen.
It could be sold to recoup some of the costs under clauses in the Local Government Act, should the council ultimately seize the land.
Such seizures are not common in Greater Bendigo, where the council charges more than 60,000 properties for rates and other bills each year.
Why land might be seized
A council spokesperson did not go into specifics about the case, citing privacy concerns. They did give general information on the approach the council took.
"The city goes through extensive efforts to contact property owners to have the outstanding amounts settled, however sometimes this is unable to be achieved," the spokesperson said.
"This can be for various reasons including the property owner refusing to pay or unable to pay the rates and charges.
"In many cases, the property is abandoned as the mortgage cannot be paid, or the property owner cannot be located - or the business has become bankrupt, and the sale is to do with other government agencies."
The law allows councils to step in if someone has not paid rates and charges for at least three years, or five year for properties that an owner lives on, as long as all other attempts to recover the debts have failed.
That includes payment plans.
Financial hardship plans available
The council says it has financial hardship guidelines to allow for flexible payment options and urges people in trouble to contact their customer service staff.
Rates have taken on a greater focus in recent years as people struggled both with COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis that has followed it.
A state inquiry stopped short of recommending councils waive rate payments entirely in December, 2020.
Bendigo's council had been among those recommending a limit on waivers because costs would be shifted onto other ratepayers.
"A debt can be deferred in cases of financial hardship without being waived," the council said at the time.
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Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
