ACTIn ForceRegulation
Court Procedures Rules
2216Seizure and sale order—nature of sale
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2216 Seizure and sale order—nature of sale
(1) Unless the court otherwise orders, an enforcement officer must put up
for sale by public auction all property liable to be sold under a seizure
(a) as early as possible, having regard to the interests of the
enforcement creditor and the enforcement debtor (the parties);
and
Rule 2216
(b) at a place and in a way appearing to the enforcement officer to
be suitable for a beneficial sale of the property.
(2) The property must not be sold before the end of 7 days after the day
the property is seized unless—
(a) the enforcement debtor asks for the property to be sold before
the end of the 7-day period; or
(b) the property is perishable.
(3) However, personal property must be sold within 12 weeks after the
day it is seized.
(4) Before the property is sold by public auction, a party or the
enforcement officer may apply to the court for an order that the
property be sold privately.
(5) The application must be accompanied by an affidavit in support of
(6) If the applicant is a party, the applicant must also serve a stamped
copy of the application on the enforcement officer.
(7) If, on application by the enforcement creditor, the court makes an
order that the property be sold privately before a public auction, the
court may order that the enforcement creditor pay any costs already
incurred by the enforcement officer for the auction.
(8) Property sold by public auction must be sold under the following
conditions of sale:
(a) for personal property, if the person conducting the auction
considers the particular lot in which the property is to be
auctioned is worth less than $500, or for other property if the
enforcement debtor agrees—at the best price obtainable;
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(b) otherwise, if the reserve is reached—to the highest bidder;
(c) if the person conducting the auction considers there is a dispute
as to who is the highest bidder, the property is to be reauctioned
and knocked down to the highest bidder.
(9) If property put up for sale at public auction is not sold by auction, the
enforcement officer may sell the property privately—
(a) for an amount not less than the highest bid made at the auction
that the enforcement officer considers is a reasonable amount
for the property; or
(b) if no bid was made at the auction—for an amount the
enforcement officer considers is a reasonable amount for the
property; or
(c) in accordance with an order of the court under rule 2220 (Seizure
and sale order—sale at best price obtainable).
(10) In this rule:
reserve, for a property to be sold at auction, means the reserve amount
set by the enforcement officer that is an amount the enforcement
officer considers is not less than a reasonable amount for the property.