§ 21-410 — Waste; appointment of receiver

After any sale of property under this Code and until a tax deed has been issued or until redemption has been made, no waste shall be committed on any of the properties involved. The court which ordered the property to be sold may, upon verified petition of the holder of the certificate of purchase, take such action as the court deems necessary and desirable to prevent the commission of waste. If the property sold is improved with an abandoned building or structure or if any municipality or other local governmental body has legal action pending because the property violates local building, housing, or fire ordinances, or because the taxes on the property are delinquent for 2 or more years, the court which ordered the property to be sold may, upon verified petition of the holder of the certificate of purchase, enter an order for appointment of a receiver. Notice of the hearing for appointment of the receiver shall be given to the owner or owners of the property and to the person in whose name the taxes were last assessed, by certified or registered mail sent to their last known addresses, at least 5 days prior to the date of the hearing. The receiver may take only that action, subject to court approval, as is necessary for the preservation of the property or is necessary to correct conditions at the property that fail to conform to minimum standards of health and safety, as set forth in local ordinances. If a receiver is appointed, all costs and expenses advanced by the receiver shall be repaid as provided for in Section 21-355 before any redemption is considered complete. The receiver shall be discharged upon redemption from the tax sale or upon entry of an order directing issuance of a tax deed. Nothing herein contained is intended to prevent a court from appointing the holder of the certificate of purchase as receiver. The holder of the certificate of purchase shall be made a party to any action or proceeding to demolish or destroy improvements on property where the property has been sold for failure to pay taxes and the period of redemption has not expired.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 85-795; 88-455.)