We’re all familiar with fines. Regardless of wherever you live in New South Wales, this particular concept is a part of everyday life and is easy—if unpleasant—to come across on a daily basis.
Regardless of whether it’s because of speeding, jaywalking, littering, or loitering, there’s no denying that dealing with a fine can be quite frustrating and complicated to begin with. From difficult disputes and intricate technicalities to charges that come off as nothing short of exorbitant, fines are packed with all details that can cause quite a bit of confusion and raise all sorts of questions.
Out of all the different questions that Australians ask themselves about fines and other related topics, however, there’s one inquiry that tends to be brought up far more than the rest: “What happens if I don’t pay a fine?”
Answering
the question at hand
When the topic of not paying fines comes to mind, most people find themselves completely unaware of the implications or the consequences of such an action.
Generally speaking, the majority of unpaid fines in the New South Wales (NSW) area are processed and recovered by Revenue NSW— the leading authority on fines recovery and payment.
If Revenue NSW discovers that you’ve failed to pay your fine, expect to receive a reminder notice that allows you an extra 28 days to pay the total amount. Should you fail to fork over your payment by the time the previously-set due date comes around, enforcement fees will be added— which will lead to an even larger payable amount if left unpaid.
Aside from handing out fines, however, there
are several other ways Revenue NSW deals with the non-payment of fines (with
each one of these involving extra costs) once delinquency reaches a certain
point:
1. Seizure
and sale of property
A main course of action that Revenue NSW will be obliged to take in case of extended periods of non-payment is the seizure and sale of a violator’s property. Throughout the course of a seizure and sale process, Revenue NSW will send out sheriffs to your home in order to seize goods of value within it and subsequently sell them at a public auction.
2. Revocation of
licenses
Another drastic course of action that Revenue NSW
can take when dealing with a non-payment of fines is to take away any kind of
license that you have on your person. In the case of license revocation,
Revenue NSW can either suspend or cancel your driver’s license, restrict you
from carrying out business with the RMS, or take away your registration until
you pay for the overdue fines.
3. Garnishing of salary or bank account
In addition to seizing your property or revoking your licenses, Revenue NSW can also resort to contacting your employer and ordering them to deduct money from your wage in order to pay off the outstanding fines. Aside from contacting your employer, Revenue NSW can also contact your bank and request for them to take money out of your account to pay for your overdue fines and additional fees.
4. Court action
For more drastic cases with various circumstances to consider, Revenue NSW tackles special non-payment cases by ordering violators to be examined in court in order to determine which penalty would be most apt. It is worth noting, however, that a no-show will merit prison time— so come to court on time if Revenue NSW orders you to do so!
5. Addition of interest on a home
One remedy that Revenue NSW may consider taking should you fail to pay your overdue fines is placing or registering an interest on your house. In cases like these, the collecting body puts a charge on any piece of property or land that you own until you pay off your debts— which means that you can’t sell any property without first settling your fines.
6. Community service work
As a final course of action, Revenue NSW may order you to render community service work in order to pay off your fine or debts in fulfilment of a Community Corrections Order.
Conclusion
Not paying for a fine can easily prove to be one of the most costly mistakes that you’ll ever make in New South Wales. If you cannot pay your fine or have been wrongly charged to no avail in your last dispute, get in touch with our lawyers in Balmain today to see how we can help.
This article is intended to provide general information. You should obtain professional advice before you undertake any course of action.
