Blantyre City Council threatens property seizure to rate defaulters
Blantyre City Council has warned property owners with City rates arrears to immediately settle their bills or risk losing their property.
The chairman of the council’s finance committee, Councillor Alinane George Chipwete told a new conference on Monday that property owners were told about a month ago to settle their taxes through the daily gazette.
Said Chipwete: “You may also recall that a few months ago, we gazetted as well as published in the daily papers names of property owners whose property had been in tax arrears.
“The notice period for owners to redeem such property has expired and I would like to inform you that the Council will this week start publicizing properties that are now due for seizure and our legal team is ready with necessary documentation to commence court proceedings,” he said.
Chipwete, a former MP. further said the council depends on city rates for its operations and that up to 65 percent of its revenue is raised through property taxes.
He, however, said negligence by residents when it comes to paying city rates will continue denying them the opportunity to access quality services.
“The greatest problem the council has is unwillingness by property owners to remit property taxes. The council has therefore been suffocated financially due to this development and if immediate remedial action is not taken, residents will continue getting substandard services from the City fathers,” he said.
The Council has lined up a number of strategies aimed at enforcing payment of property taxes and has pleaded with residents to pay their property rates to avoid property seizure.
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Why should people pay arrears for the work which the assembly did not do during the time the fees were due? If the money was supposed to be used to improve the services at that time and you did not collect it neither provided the services, what’s your objective of collecting such money now? Collect the fees that are due now and then use it to provide the services now!! But if the state of services has been unduly affected by non-collection (non-payment) then the assembly has to negotiate with landowners not threatening.
You BT City people,you stopped sending people bills more that 10 years ago yet when registering plot owners gave you their addresses .How could people be reminded about what they are supposed to pay.This is your fault dont punish plot owners.Debt collection is about reminding people.Escom and Water Boards do send bills and if peoplle dont pay then they get punished.How may people do read newspapers.I would advise you to go into your records get addresses of plot owners and start sending the bills.Should the bills be unaffordable please give a grace period or allow people to discuss with you… Read more »
How can you allow somebody to be selling ma offals pa Nandoos paja? He starts making noise as early as 4pm whilst others are still working. Please bring sanity
Noel needs to buy a comb immediately
chalamanda is never in his office,always at his own business office.
The job of a councillor is not full-time!!
Kodi Nanga A Lilongwe Munalanda Nyumba Za Chipani Chopha Anthu Chija Cha MCP KAPENA MUMANGOIMBA NYIMBO?
YOU FAILED TO BRING SANITY IN LIMBE MR MAYOR.
ALLYOU KNOW IS BLA BLA BLA THIS BLA BLA BLA THAT.
Here is my peace of advice:
BAN ALL MINIBUSES FROM ENTERING LIMBE TOWN. DEPOTS MUST BE BEHIND HARDWARE AND/OR LIMBE MARKET BUS DEPOT.
BY DOING SO, ALL VENDORS WILL FOLLOW SUIT.
Do it not, then we will know that you are a mayor of Blantyre Town only.
I stopped recieving City Assembly statement 10 yrs ago, how can i pay without statements? On the other hand, you can not just collect money without doing what you are supposed to do, we need gud roads, pavements and colovats where necessary, stop doing substandard works, we will pay when we recieve the statement s and also when we see improvements in the development of our areas
ukatenge kwa agogo ako ma city rates. ine ndilibe ndalama.
Don’t start a war you will not win. Blantyre is one city whose managers drive latest cars but do not have decent roads to drive on. Start with delivering tangible services and ask people to pay not the other way round