[Skye Collett]

Or vice versa.
I have a number of properties where I have a credit amount (usually more than several hundred dollars) on either the rates or the water account but the alternate account is in arrears quite significantly.
Example – Customer J Smith owes $1500 to council from his water account, but his rates account is in credit by $700. Attempts to contact Mr Smith have been unsuccessful, including a notice of legal action being issued on the water account, by transferring the credit funds from the rates account to the water account, the balance reduction would exempt him of the criteria to issue to external agents and allow him another billing period to remedy the arrears.
Appreciate others thoughts on wether it would be considered acceptable practice to transfer the credit funds without the property owners consent? If of course it can be demonstrated that all attempts to contact had been exhausted.

[Ron Peters]

Hi Skye,

We advise clients that notifying the Ratepayer/Customer in writing of Council’s intent to transfer the balance is sufficient action to allow Council to transfer the balance.

To date we haven’t encountered a response from a Ratepayer/Customer in the negative, i.e. requesting that the balance is not transferred.

Kind regards

Richard
Richard McLean
0434 222 032

[Author]

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