Treasury report reveals tens of thousands of dollars owing to South West residents

Hundreds of Bunbury businesses, health providers, sole traders and individuals have tens of thousands of dollars waiting to be claimed, according to a recent Treasury report. One Eaton resident is owed $15,000, a Bunbury couple has more than $13,000 owing to them, a Glen Iris business is owed nearly $10,000 and a Carey Park resident can collect almost $7000. The biggest unclaimed amount in the South West is for a Donnybrook resident who can claim a whopping $46,000. Further afield, a Dunsborough hotel is owed almost $10,000 and a Yarloop family can claim nearly $9000 from a deceased estate. The money is listed on the WA Register of Unclaimed Money, which the Treasury Department recently updated with about 166,000 new records, adding more than $24 million in unclaimed money owed. The funds come from overpaid gas and electricity bills, unclaimed bet winnings, health insurance claims, refunded licencing charges, deceased estates and unclaimed security bonds from rental properties. There are now more than 942,000 unclaimed amounts on the full list, totalling about $138 million. The recent update includes big individual unclaimed amounts of $803,626 and $365,899. Bunbury Geographe Chamber of Commerce chief executive Kristy Gillian encouraged businesses and individuals to check the register. “As we rapidly approach the end of the year, it’s nice to know there might be a windfall waiting for some of us to claim,” she said. “BGCCI encourages all businesses and individuals in the Bunbury Geographe region to hop on the Treasury website and see if they have any unclaimed funds due to them, it might just put an extra smile on your face for Christmas.” WA Premier and Treasurer Mark McGowan also urged people to check the register to see if they were entitled to any of the funds. “The unclaimed monies typically relate to rental bond refunds, dividend payments, vehicle licence refunds, overpayments of utility bills and refunds from education providers,” he said. To search the register, go online to www.wa.gov.au/treasury.