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In short:
A Queensland water company has continued to charge water bills to residents of a mostly abandoned unit complex.
Only one resident has lived in MiHi Grove since it was wrecked by floods in February 2022.
What's next?
Urban Utilities says residents can contact them for payment assistance options.
Alannah Lewis-Stafford has not lived in her flood-ravaged home for over two years, but her water company has refused to stop billing her.
The Ipswich woman is one of the residents of the MiHi Grove townhouse complex which was destroyed by floods in February 2022.
All but one of the 42 units have remained empty ever since, but Urban Utilities has continued to charge all of the residents for water.
Since May this year thieves have repeatedly broken into the abandoned units and torn out the wires and copper pipes, causing water to gush throughout the complex.
Ms Lewis-Stafford said she had spent two-and-a-half years paying for water, council rates, and body corporate fees for a derelict building.
Last week Ms Lewis-Stafford received a state government buyback of around $215,000 for the unit, minus $56,000 paid by the insurer.
However, with all the ongoing costs Ms Lewis-Stafford remains deeply out of pocket.
"It was really traumatic, and to have these extra financial worries is just awful," Ms Lewis-Stafford said.
"It's very painful to think about all of it, but there's nothing we can do about it."
No refunds on the cards
ABC Radio Brisbane asked Urban Utilities if they would refund the residents of MiHi Grove but they did not answer the question.
A spokesperson said residents could contact Urban Utilities to discuss payment assistance options.
"We are aware MiHi Grove is part of the Queensland government Voluntary Home Buy-Back program, however the unit complex remains connected to our water and wastewater network while the process is ongoing," the spokesperson said.
"As such, apartment owners continue to receive bills which include tiered water usage charges for the small amount of water being used throughout the complex, the State Bulk Water Charge, and fixed service charges."
Ms Lewis-Stafford's mother, Glynis Lewis, said she was outraged that her daughter was being billed for a house she had not lived in since 2022.
Ms Lewis said she was told by Urban Utilities that they were unable to switch off the water because somebody was still living in the complex.
Ms Lewis said she tried to challenge one of her daughter's water bills but received a debt collector notice when she refused to pay.
She said she appealed to various authorities, including Urban Utilities, the Queensland government, Ipswich City Council, and Queensland Police.
Ms Lewis said their appeals fell on deaf ears.
"To me it's a criminal waste of water, [and Urban Utilities] are making people who have already suffered to pay for that," Ms Lewis said.
"I don't understand why the people in authority can't do something about it."
This is my home
James Brett McGovern was the only resident who chose to stay in MiHi Grove.
Mr McGovern said he chose to stay because it was his home and he had planned to retire there permanently with his wife and dog.
"I used to move around every five years but once I got this place here I made it my home. That's why I repaired it," Mr McGovern said.
"All I can say is I hope [the other residents] have some future luck in their life."
Mr McGovern said he would receive his superannuation at the end of the year and would use it, and his buyback payment, to buy a small cottage in Silkstone.
He said he would return to fly-in fly-out work to make ends meet.
No victory for common sense
Odette Summers also received her government buyback payment on Wednesday last week.
However she said it was not enough to buy another house, and that she was resigned to being a renter for the rest of her life.
Ms Summers said two-and-a-half years of accumulating fees had left her with very little savings.
She said her children would no longer be able to move in with her and they would have very little to inherit when she died.
Ms Summers said this could have been a victory for common sense had the government stepped in and stopped Urban Utilities from billing them.
"Everything's drawing to a close so I'm happy to move on, but there are many of us who will not be able to buy a home," Ms Summers said.
"It appears to us that the government has buried their heads in the sand where MiHi Grove is concerned."
A Queensland Reconstruction Authority spokesperson said demolition would remain on hold until all 42 properties were acquired.
The spokesperson said Ipswich City Council had signed contracts with 40 out of 42 home owners under a voluntary buyback scheme.
"To date, 38 contracts have settled with Ipswich City Council, while two contracts are on track to settle late this month and early September," the spokesperson said.
"Ipswich City Council has commenced a compulsory acquisition process with the two remaining MiHi Grove property owners who didn't participate in the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program."
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