Home on ‘God’s land’ sold off

A MOLE Creek home has been sold by Meander Valley Council to recover rates not paid by the owners, who said they were exempt because the land belonged to God.

The rural property was part of a dispute between the council and owners Rembertus and Fanny Beerepoot.

The pair stopped paying rates in 2010 and owe about $3500.

Earlier this year, the Beerepoots wrote to the council advising it to take the matter up with God.

After correspondence hit a stalemate, the council put the house under the hammer yesterday morning at Westbury Town Hall, where it sold to a mystery bidder for $120,000.

Meander Valley Mayor Craig Perkins said proceeds would be used to pay off what the Beerepoots owed the council, plus costs, with the rest going to the family.

“It’s disappointing that it has come to this,” he said.

“Council has had to spend a lot of time and resources to pursue this, based on someone who’s not prepared to understand and appreciate the law of the land.”

The Beerepoots also refused to pay rates on their Melita Honey Farm cafe and shop at nearby Chudleigh.

But they were subsequently bailed out by an anonymous donor in June. In their letter to the council, they said they were unable to bow down to a false god.

“We believe that our heavenly father is sovereign and that he reigns today, thus we worship him and him alone, so that his will is established on the Earth,” they wrote.

The Mole Creek home now enters a 45-day settlement process.

“I hope they co-operate with that sale process now,” Cr Perkins said, adding the house was sold for well under market value of about $300,000.

“From what I can understand, they are nice people,” he said.

“I think they’ve just come to the fundamental view that they don’t have to pay their rates.”