Council ‘unfair’ on debt

Interest hits owner

A TOWNSVILLE E homeowner says high h interest rates and debt recovery measures are making it almost im- possible for her to get out of debt with the Townsville City Council.

Donna Langridge (pictured) says she is at t her wits’ end after years of battling the council in an effort to clear the debt she incurred while out of work six years ago due to illness.

She says despite an unofficial direct-debit agreement struck in 2015, which she has stuck to, she finds her debt growing under an 11 per cent interest rate she says is “unreasonable”.

“What astounds me is how I have paid so much and still have so much debt. It’s just the interest they put on it,” Ms Langridge said.

“I took council to the Ombudsman and then they took me to court (to recover the debt). I had no opportunity to defend myself, I didn’t even know it was on.

“According to the Townsville City Council, I currently owe them $9000 in interest and more than $3000 in legal penalties, with an interest rate of 11 per cent.

“In the past eight years, council has added an extra $6000 to my rates debt in unnecessary additional costs made up of court fees, interest and judgments.”

Ms Langridge said she had been in constant communication with the council, but since the court judgment the c council was demanding she pay the debt in full and use her superannuation to pay it out.

“I feel they have placed me in perpetual debt through their ongoing p penalties and interest charges,” she said.

“I’m 61 years old. I didn’t start getting super until a certain age and I’ve used it to deal with my health issues and pay down debts.

“The council is putting a lot of pressure on me and I’ve paid $100 a fortnight for a long time. I’m paying my repayments and I’m paying my rates and they continue to threaten to take my home.”

Under the Local Government Act, a local government authority can sell land to recoup overdue rates for owneroccupied residential properties if they have been unpaid for three years. Property owners have three months to pay outstanding rates from the time the council issues a Notice of Intention to Sell.

Ms Langridge said she would be left homeless if the council sold her home of 30 years.

“I find this whole thing so damn wrong and so unfair,” she said.

“I’m stuck in a loop of debt for something that should never have occurred.

“What is the point of this harassment? It’s not going to get their money any faster.”

Townsville City Council was contacted for comment.