'BRUTAL': Debt collectors sent in to chase up overdue rates

A WOMAN who is recovering from breast cancer says she wishes Lismore council could be more "humane and flexible” in chasing up unpaid debts.

Home owner Teresa Marchant is upset by Lismore City Council's approach to collecting rates from home owners. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

A WOMAN recovering from stage two breast cancer says Lismore City Council is acting in a "brutal and inhumane manner” to chase up unpaid debts.

Teresa Marchant, 59, lives in Casino but owns two properties in Lismore, for which the council is chasing up overdue rates and water bills.

She said the majority of her tenants were people on disability or other benefits.

"I ask council for more time and for them to instruct the debt collectors to be more humane and flexible,” she said.

Ms Marchant said she felt overwhelmed by debt collectors serving her papers to recover the owned money via court.

In contrast, she said her bank had been amazing.

"They have bent over backwards to help me meet my mortgage obligations with kindness, understanding and flexibility,” she said.

"And they have also supplied me with a free service to try and get back on my feet and return to work.

"I called (the council's debt collectors) Executive Collections but found them completely hard to deal with, asking for payments I could not make.

"Next thing I was served with court papers... including possible extra costs of $647 on a debt of approximately $1700 - that is 48 per cent of the debt and I am not sure how the council thinks adding punitive costs to ratepayers will enable them to pay off their debts sooner or easier.”

Ms Marchant said she understood she had to pay her debts, but has been unemployed following her bout with cancer and the loss of two family members.

She is also on a "very, very low income”.

But a council spokesman said while he was unable to comment on this matter, the council offered flexibility to people facing tough times.

"For ratepayers experiencing financial hardship, council has a Rates and Charges Hardship Policy in place,” he said.

"An application is to be completed and submitted so council can undertake an assessment of the circumstance (and) waive interest charges and provide other support to assist the ratepayer with their payments.

"However, the policy only applies to residential properties and only where that property is the principal place of residence for the landowner.”