Clause 77

If the amount of any money which is due from any person in respect of the supply of water, gas or electricity to any premises owned or occupied by him or for work done or materials provided in connection therewith, or in respect of the supply or hire of any electric motors or gas pipes or electric lines, water, gas or electrical fittings, apparatus, appliances, accessories or appurtenances thereof, is not paid within the time allowed for such payment to be made, a notice may be issued requiring the defaulter to pay the same, together with a fee of such amount as may be prescribed for the cost of issuing such notice, within seven days from the date thereof.

If such amount and fee are not paid within the said period of seven days, a warrant may be issued by the Board to some employee of the Board named therein, directing him to levy the same and the costs of recovery, by seizure and sale of all and singular the movable property of the defaulter.

The person to whom any such warrant is addressed may break open in the daytime any house or building for the purpose of seizing property in pursuance of such warrant.

Such fees as may be prescribed shall be payable by way of costs in the case of the issue of a warrant for the recovery of any such debts under this section.

The person to whom any such warrant is addressed shall make an inventory of the property seized under such warrant and shall at the same time give notice in writing to the person in possession thereof at the time of seizure that the said property will be sold.

The property seized by virtue of any such warrant shall be sold by public auction by the person to whom such warrant is addressed or by some other person appointed by the Board at any time after the expiration of seven days from the date of such seizure, unless in the meantime the amount of the debt and the costs in the said warrant mentioned shall have been paid.

The surplus, if any, accruing from such sale, after deducting the amount of such debt and the costs, shall be paid to the owner of the property so sold:Provided that any surplus remaining unclaimed for a period of twelve months from the date of such sale shall be paid to the credit of the Board’s fund and no person thereafter shall be entitled to demand and receive the same.