Family members feared for the health of the elderly Manilla resident after she was left highly distressed when the letter arrived from SR Law on behalf of the council.

The notice informed the woman that her second rates instalment of $482 was about two weeks overdue and set a revised date for the payment to be made to the council.

“Our client requires payment of the above amount by 9 January 2015, failing which further action may be taken by our client without further notice,” the letter from solicitor David Simons said.

The woman’s son, who lives in Coffs Harbour and handles most of his mother’s financial affairs, said an innocent and regrettable oversight resulted in the bill not being paid.

The same mistake meant he missed the deadline for his own rates bill, however, he said the approaches from the two councils could not have been more different. “(Coffs Harbour City Council) sent me a friendly reminder saying that my rates hadn’t been paid and asking whether it was an oversight and if I could please pay it,” he said.

“Whereas my mother, who has never missed a payment in her life, gets something that is intimidatory and bullying (from debt collectors acting for Tamworth Regional Council).

“We’re talking $482, not $4000 and it was not three months or six months in arrears – it was 14 days in arrears.

“How many other elderly people are getting this sort of notice and don’t have someone in my position who is going to look at it?” Unpaid rates is a significant issue for Tamworth Regional Council, with more than 

$4.5 million owed by about 4000 ratepayers.

The council could not be contacted for comment.

Tamworth woman Lisa Lane said it was “rude” to be immediately issued with a notice from the debt collectors, while Tony Ryan described the policy as “ordinary”.

Neither the woman nor her son wished to be publicly identified out of concern the incident could tarnish their family’s reputation in the area.