The council has had to clean out the home of the compulsive hoarder 15 times in six years, and that cost, and rates arrears, had risen to $54,000, council development services manager Kevin Thompson said.
The auction attracted about 80 people, but only five or six bidders, who drove the price to $128,000, at which the house was sold.
The new owner, who declined to be named, said he had only driven past the house, had not seen inside, and planned to begin cleaning it up.
The property, owned by Kenneth Gray, had been cleaned by council workers 15 times since 2003, at a cost of between $1000 and $3000 each time.
Mr Thompson said the council would recover its costs from the sale, and the other $74,000 would go to Mr Gray.
The council had applied through the court registrar to have the house sold, a move which Mr Thompson described as "regrettable".
He said the council was acting in the interests of neighbours and ratepayers, as the cost to the council would have been ongoing.
It is understood Mr Gray is living in his car.
