One of Sydney's longest-running and saddest property disputes will continue, at least until Friday, after a family of notorious hoarders were granted a stay against the forcible sale of their property.

The New South Wales Sheriff's Office is attempting to sell the Bobolas family's home to recover an estimated $160,000 in outstanding cleanup costs and legal fees.

Selling agent Ric Serrao from Raine & Horne said the auction was scheduled for Thursday night, but the occupants were granted a last-minute stay on proceedings.

"We got a call from the Sheriff's office at 5:10pm, the auction was scheduled for 6 o'clock, saying that the Bobalas family did get a stay on proceedings and it's back in court tomorrow morning," Mr Serrao said.

Boonara Avenue at Bondi in Sydney's eastern suburbs is one of the area's best streets just a short walk from the famous beach.

But the residents at 19 Boonara Ave have caused problems for the local council and neighbours for more than two decades.

The home and its gardens are piled high with stinking rubbish, spreading rats and cockroaches throughout the area.

Neighbours will be relieved to be rid of the rubbish that has plagued them for a quarter of a century.

Mr Serrao was predicting a high price.

"The buyer's guide is at $2 million," he said.

"It is land value, yes I have seen the house, it's quite visible from the street, but we are offering it as land value, I don't believe it's habitable.

"The successful purchaser will be responsible for removing all the inclusions, let's say, so everything that's on the property. Also (they will) be responsible to get vacant possessions, so it would be up to the purchaser to get the occupants out."

There have been 15 major council-funded cleanups at the property over the years. ( Sue Daniel, ABC News )

Waverley Council has been fighting with the Bobolas family for 26 years over what it describes as "major public health and safety problems associated with the continual hoarding".

There have been 15 large-scale clean ups at the property in that time — at a huge cost to ratepayers.

Protracted legal battles have ended here, with the property being forcibly sold to recover $160,000 in cleanup and other costs.

Waverley Council declined an interview but released a statement.

"It's a public health and safety issue for the family and for the nearby residents," the statement said.

"There continues to be specialist support services on offer to the Bobolas family and we very much hope they choose to accept that support."

Hoarding under-recognised and underfunded, psychologist says

Clinical psychologist Catherine Madigan said hoarding is a very difficult mental health condition.

Waverley Council has been fighting with the Bobolas family for over 26 years over what it describes as 'major public health and safety problems'. ( Michelle Rafferty )

"It's very hard to understand that people have a great attachment to these items," she said.

"Just because we don't think that they have any value, hoarders can have sentimental value attached to items, they could believe that they're saving money by keeping these items.

"So look, I imagine they're going to be traumatised."

Ms Madigan said hoarding was more common than most people think, and the Bondi family deserved sympathy.

"Some people in suburbia would have very high brick walls, maybe the stuff doesn't spill out into the garden, but there's probably a lot of houses across Australia that are filled to the ceiling with possessions but we just don't know about it," she said.

"There's really not that much funding given to the treatment, under the mental healthcare plan under Medicare, generally people are only entitled to 10 sessions of therapy.

"If we're going to help hoarders, they need a lot more assistance."