Maitland City Councillors will consider tonight whether to take legal action against three property owners in Maitland who have been the subject of complaints and subsequent council investigations recently.
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In his report to councillors, development surveillance officer George Knezevic wrote that council received between 150 and 200 complaints from the public about the poor state of properties each year, most of which were resolved within 21 days.
A few property owners were issued with fines for non-compliance with council’s order to rectify the situation, he wrote, and fewer still refused to pay the fine, which led to the need for legal action.
A safety risk has to be identified for Maitland City Council to take legal action against people over the state of their properties, the mayor Cr Peter Blackmore said.
Cr Blackmore said owners of dilapidated commercial properties in the city could also be held to account for allowing their premises to become derelict.
But he said an element of risk to people’s safety had to be identified for council to step in and take legal action.
Mr Knezevic’s report identified three properties that had been ongoing problems for council recently.
The first was described as unoccupied, overgrown with vegetation and with electricity disconnected from the property.
Another was overgrown and had waste and dilapidated vehicles accumulated around the property.
Waste was accumulated on the third property and there had been reports of numerous cats living at the site.
None of the property owners have responded to council over the issues.
“People take great pride in their property,” Cr Blackmore said.
“This is embarrassing for people who live in the street and care for their own property.
“There is also a concern about rodents and snakes moving in.”
Taking the cases to court is expected to cost between $25,000 and $50,000 each.
Cr Blackmore predicted that councillors would initially take legal action against one of the three property owners identified in the report, rather than all at once.
“I’m confident that the do nothing option will not even be considered,” he said.
“I’m pretty confident that we’ll take the first case to court and see what the outcome and the cost is.”
Council previously won a court case over the state of a derelict High Street building that was commonly known as Bob’s Bird Barn, because it had been deemed unsafe.
In that case, council carried out repairs to a hanging awning and won costs from the landlord in the NSW Land and Environment Court.
Cr Blackmore urged anyone who could not afford to pay rates or fines to contact council and organise a payment plan.
