Moyne Shire has no permit history for Kevin Knowles' property at Kirkstall

Questions are being asked why a woman is allowed to live in a Kirkstall home which has no permits lodged or a certificate of occupancy.

Lot 10 Atkinson Street in Kirkstall is owned by career criminal Kevin Knowles, who was shot and killed by neighbour Travis Cashmore alongside Scotts North Road on the morning of Friday, July 22.

A Moyne shire spokesman last week said the council had no permit history for the property.

It's understood that Knowles' partner Tracy Leske is living at the house and there are double locks on the front gate.

It's expected there will be a legal battle over the property with Ms Leske and one of Knowles' sons both claiming to be Knowles' next-of-kin.

Knowles died without a will and it's expected a court will appoint an executor to finalise his affairs, centring around Knowles' Kirkstall property.

A long-time Kirkstall resident told The Standard many townsfolk were disgusted the shire would allow anyone to keep living in a house that had no building or planning permits or occupancy certificate.

She also questioned if rates were being paid for the house.

"Why is this allowed to happen?" she said.

"No one should be allowed to be in that house - if any other person or business in the shire built a shed, house or garage and lived in it without permits, Moyne would be swift in making them comply with regulations.

"If no rates have been paid on this property, and yet Moyne said they knew it existed, why is someone still allowed to live in it?

"It's one rule for some people and another rule for others."

A Moyne Shire spokesman said on Thursday the council was now working through the process of determining who was responsible for the deceased estate.

"Once that process is complete and ownership determined, council will continue working to ensure the property is compliant with relevant planning regulations and requirements," he said.

"Council will not be providing any further comment about this matter."

Last week: Murder victim and career criminal Kevin Knowles left a trail of destruction during his life, and his death has not impacted his ability to cause drama.

He has left a significant number of creditors scrambling to make a claim on his estate - a property at lot 10 Atkinson Street, Kirkstall, with questions also raised how he was allowed to live at the house when Moyne Shire has no history of any permits for it.

Knowles and sidekick Benny Ray were shot dead by Kirkstall resident Travis Cashmore on the side of the quiet Scotts North Road on July 22, before Cashmore took his own life.

The Coroners Court of Victoria has scheduled a directions hearing in relation to the Kirkstall double murder/suicide before coroner Jacqui Hawkins on August 29.

Even Knowles' funeral on Tuesday last week in Geelong involved a process of negotiation with a funeral home.

Knowles had a caveat placed on his property as he owed money for funeral expenses after the untimely death of his then-partner Amanda Bourke on January 18, 2018.

That debt and the costs of Knowles' own cremation in Geelong were the subject of negotiations before it took place.

Investigations have revealed Knowles owes more than $20,000 to tradesmen, a draftsman, a structural engineer, an excavation company and neighbours.

This week The Standard posed a number of questions to Moyne Shire about his property.

Those questions related to planning and building permits, certificates of occupancy, paperwork for septic and gas services and whether rates were ever paid or were still owed.

A Moyne Shire spokesman confirmed there was no permits for the property.

"Council has no permit history for this property," he said.

"This is an enforcement issue and the council will discuss further with the estate at a more appropriate time.

"Council is not able to provide any information to a third party regarding property rates."

The Standard spoke with a number of people who say they are owed significant money.

One tradesman said he had been left $5000 out of pocket when Knowles had twice used false names to call out services for emergency work at weekends.

He said his company now had weekend emergency customers sign a contract to try and protect the business.

Another tradesman said he worked on a septic system at the property alongside an electrician, builder and plumber, and no one got paid.

It's also claimed Knowles agreed to pay half of a boundary fence which cost $8000, but no money changed hands.

One tradesman took matters into his own hands.

After not being paid he happily sabotaged his own work so it did not function.

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