Property Search Form

Banana Shire Council (Biloela, Moura, Taroom and surrounds) uses one form for all property related searches. Rates searches draw on the land record a Queensland council must keep for each parcel of rateable land, which shows the owner, valuation and rates and charges levied and paid (Local Government Regulation 2012 s 154). Buyers order them because overdue rates and charges are a charge on the land (Local Government Act 2009 s 95). Planning and development certificates are made under section 265 of the Planning Act 2016, which the form's fact sheet cites. The form also covers water and sewer location searches, building and plumbing records, health and environmental searches, and a rural lands records search for orders under the Biosecurity Act 2014 and stock route legislation. Council says every request takes at least five business days.

When you need it

• You are buying property in the Banana Shire and your conveyancer wants a short or full rates search before settlement.
• You need a water meter re-read, a flow and pressure test, or the location of council water and sewer mains near the property.
• You need building or plumbing records, a building compliance site inspection, a copy of floor plans or a house drainage plan.
• You are buying a licensed business (for example food premises, skin penetration or shared facility accommodation) or rural land and need health, environmental or rural lands records.

1. 1

   Customer details

   Give the applicant name, contact person, your reference, postal address, preferred contact number and email, and choose a delivery method: email (the standard), post, or collect from Biloela, Moura or Taroom.

2. 2

   Property details

   Enter the street number and name, town, state and postcode, lot and plan, proposed settlement date, vendor and purchaser.

3. 3

   Rates, water and sewer searches

   Tick a short rates search (financial details only), full rates search (includes a water meter reading and a range of property information), urgent full search, phone or counter ownership search, or water meter reading. Water and sewer options include a meter re-read, flow and pressure test, a mapping-based water and sewer location search and a physical sewerage location search. Rates searches are charged per assessment.

4. 4

   Planning, building and plumbing

   Tick a limited, standard or full town planning certificate (per lot), and any building or plumbing records searches, a building compliance site inspection, certificate of classification, floor plans or drainage plan. Building and plumbing records searches have a standard and a within-48-hours option.

5. 5

   Health, environment and rural lands

   Tick a health records search (standard or within 48 hours), full compliance search with inspection, or rural lands records search. For health and environmental searches the current licensee or environmental authority holder must give consent by completing the name, address and signature panel on page 2.

• Send the form to council at PO Box 412, Biloela QLD 4715 or enquiries@banana.qld.gov.au, or hand it in at a customer service centre.
• Payment: in person at the customer service centres at 62 Valentine Plains Road, Biloela; Gillespie Street, Moura; or Yaldwyn Street, Taroom. If you lodge remotely, customer service staff will contact you to take a credit or debit card payment once the form is received.
• Processing times printed on the form run from up to 3 business days for a short rates search to 30 business days for a full town planning certificate. Council says every request takes a minimum of five business days.
• Fees are printed on the form, current from 1 July each year, and some include GST. Check the current version before ordering.

• Historical building data before 1997 has been archived and the form says council cannot provide it, so older houses may have little on file.
• The water and sewer location plan is from council's mapping system and is a guide only. The fact sheet says to pothole test before excavating near council infrastructure.
• A full rates search on a rural property also includes the rural lands records information.
• The water meter re-read fee is refundable if the six-monthly reading turns out to be incorrect.