Page 4894 - Week 15 - Thursday, 8 December 1994

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MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION

QUESTION NO 1486

Housing Trust - Debt Collection Contract

MR CORNWELL - Asked the Minister for Housing and Community Services -In relation to your reply of 31 December 1993 to my question on notice No. 1060 regarding the debt collection service for ACT Housing Trust rent defaulters that "I am prepared to provide a progress report on recovery action once the new arrangements have become properly established"-

(1) How much money has been recovered in the 12 month period of the contract, ie to 21 October 1994.

(2) How much money has been written off.

(3) Has the contract been renewed; if so, (a) when and (b) for how long.

MR LAMONT - The answer to the Members question is as follows -

(1) Total monies recovered through the Housing Trusts debt collection agency on rent defaulters to 21 October 1994 amounts to $43,418.

(2) During the financial year ended 30 June 1994, total rental write offs

amounted to $2,330,269.

The practice adopted by the Trust is to write off a debt at 30 June each year, therefore since 1 July 1994, no rental write offs have taken place.

(3) A renewal of the contract for debt recovery is currently being undertaken. Laurens & Co have recently closed their Canberra office and as the contract is now up for review the Housing Trust is currently assessing whether to remain with Laurens & Co or transfer the debt to another local mercantile agent. The original contract required the agent to have an office within the Canberra region.

4894

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