Gold Coast houses could be auctioned off over unpaid council rates

More than 30 homes on the Gold Coast will be auctioned off after their owners failed to pay council rates.

There are 34 properties listed located in suburbs including Upper Coomera, Hope Island, Surfers Paradise, Carrara, and Palm Beach.

The properties up for auction vary in size and value. Among them is a two-bedroom unit in Surfers Paradise, as well as a sprawling 13,000-square-metre estate in Bonogin.

The Gold Coast City Council will retain the amount from what it is owed in rates from the sale.

Any remaining funds will first be used to settle other debts, such as mortgages, before the rest is returned to the property owners.

However, historical data suggests that only a small portion actually end up being sold.

Last year just three out of the 23 listed properties were sold, with most owners managing to settle their debts before the auction date.

"It is absolutely a last resort, when council gets to this stage and it's because every other measure has been explored, and that there has been rates outstanding for years and years," said Gold Coast councillor Brooke Patterson.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.