Third time lucky: Bondi hoarders house pulled from auction with days to spare

For the third time in recent years the auction of the notorious Bondi hoarders house has been cancelled by the NSW Sheriff after outstanding clean-up costs were paid.

Despite it being a familiar scenario played over the notorious home of hoarder Mary Bobolas, selling agent, Raine & Horne Double Bay principal Ric Serrao was still surprised when the sale was called off.

“I thought it was going to happen this time because there was sufficient pressure to get this issue resolved and on Monday morning the Sheriff’s office called to say it was all going ahead,” Serrao said. “But at 5.30 last night they emailed to say the debt had been paid in full.”

That debt relates to more than $248,000 worth of clean-up charges and legal fees imposed by  Waverley Council for the forced clean-up of the Boonara Avenue property.

The Californian bungalow and the piles of rubbish that are an almost permanent feature of its surrounds has become one of the most famous examples of hoarding in Australia after a 20-year standoff between Waverley Council and the Bobolas family.

At the centre of the standoff are the locals who are forced to live with a putrid smell and rats lured to the property and the family’s complex mental health issues that sees rubbish accumulate on site following each council clean-up.

When the latest sales campaign was launched last month Waverley Council general manager Ross McLeod told Domain council had tried over the past 20 years to connect the Bobolas family with support services and agencies to help prevent a recurrence of these issues, but that assistance has been rejected.

“We understand how difficult and frustrating this matter has been for neighbouring residents,” he said. “The council has conducted numerous clean-ups at the property over the past 20 or so years, and we cannot expect ratepayers to continually foot the bill.”

The previous auction in June 2016 was called off with just hours to spare when the family produced bags of cash to pay off their debt.

At the time there was a $1.8 million asking price, but no guide offered ahead of this Thursday’s scheduled auction.

The property was to be sold inclusive of the rubbish and an expectation the buyer would be responsible for evicting the family.

Mary Bobolas bought the 550 square metre property in 1973 for $15,000, but has been reportedly unable to live in it with her daughters Elena and Liana in recent years because  it is so full of rubbish.

“Why not pay your clean-up bill in the beginning rather than let it escalate and have to pay the legal costs as well,” Mr Serrao said.