It's got a good address, kerb appeal, and presumably one very unhappy owner.

But a property in Sydney's inner west is still expected to sell for more than $1 million this month, even though that's as much as would-be buyers will know about it.

"The property will be sold as is, sight unseen, under instructions from Marrickville Council," the listing says.

The Old Canterbury Road property is being sold out from under its owner after the property's rates have gone unpaid for more than five years.

The option is open to NSW councils under the local government act.

Byron Shire recently sold an Ocean Shores property for $352,000 after warning 15 inattentive ratepayers their properties were being prepared for auction for the same reason.

A Marrickville Council spokesman declined to disclose how much was owed at the Dulwich Hill address "for privacy reasons", but said a debt collection process was exhausted before it considered putting the property on the market.

Unless the owner pays up, the property will go under the hammer on August 27 with price expectations of between $1.1 million and $1.2 million – roughly triple the $388,000 it fetched when last sold in 2000.

That price guide would reportedly have been higher if bidders could access the property, but the council opted not to ask the owner's permission.

"Council decided to not request this of the owner property because we did not want to add more stress to what is already a stressful situation," the spokeswoman said.

"Marrickville Council is still hopeful of resolving the situation to the satisfaction of all parties before the auction date."

In the meantime, the real estate listing boasts that the three-bedroom house is located "in the prestigious Abergeldie Estate and only moments to Dulwich Hill lifestyle".

"Sitting on approx 440 sq m of land this bungalow beauty is located footsteps to city buses, Yeo Park, a choice of good schools, including Trinity College, Summer Hill Public catchment and only moments to local restaurants and shops," it said.

LJ Hooker Marrickville/Dulwich Hill told Fairfax Media the sale was challenging and interesting due to the lack of access.

The council's spokeswoman said it had not sold a property due to unpaid rates in at least 20 years. The policy was not applied to pensioners, she added.

"Recently, council did advertise its intent to sell properties of another ratepayer due to unpaid rates and charges," she said.

"The debt was paid in full and sale process was discontinued as per the act."