Land Sold for Outstanding Rates

Under section 175 of the Local Government Act (NT) (the LG Act), a council may sell a property if the full amount of any outstanding rates is not paid within a specified time.

Under section 176 of the LG Act, where the council has failed, after making reasonable enquiries, to discover the identity or whereabouts of a person entitled to balance of the proceeds (after payment of the rates have been made), the council may make payment to the Public Trustee.

The Public Trustee holds the money for the owner. The owner is the person that is entitled to the money, whether that is the owner that was registered on the title or a beneficiary to their estate. 

If a person would like to make a claim on the money held by the Public Trustee, they should write a letter to the Public Trustee outlining the basis for their claim and provide supporting documentation which includes but is not limited to:

• Original/certified copies of identification
• Original/certified copies of probate/letters of administration or other court documents
• Original/certified copies of death certificates/birth certificates
• Any other document (which must be original/certified copy) to show the line of executors/beneficiaries that give that person the entitlement to the money.

The claim will then be reviewed. It is likely that further information will be required before a decision will be made to pay out a claim.

The Public Trustee currently holds the funds received from the following sales: