What to know about the tax foreclosure process and how to maintain your Charlotte property
Many people associate the risk of foreclosure with falling behind on mortgage payments, but in Charlotte, issues with your property taxes can also put your home at risk.
Mecklenburg County requires property owners to pay a real estate tax each year on their land and “everything attached” to it. That includes homes, and those who don’t pay can have their property foreclosed on by the county and even auctioned off.
But there are steps residents can take during the process to rectify the situation and reclaim their property.
Here’s what to know about how to stay on top of the property tax process in Mecklenburg County and avoid foreclosure:
Property taxes in Mecklenburg County
Real estate property taxes in Mecklenburg County are assessed based on the value of your property as of Jan. 1, according to the county. Your real estate property includes land you own as well as houses, barns, garages and mobile homes attached to a foundation.
Taxes are typically due and payable Sept. 1, though 2021 property taxes were “payable without interest through January 5, 2022,” the Office of the Tax Collector says.
You have multiple options for paying your property taxes, including:
Paying online at billpay.forte.net/mecklenburgconctax
Paying by phone by calling 1-800-994-1026
Paying in person at the Valerie C. Woodard Center, 3205 Freedom Drive, Suite 3000, Charlotte, NC 28208
Paying by mail by sending your payment to Mecklenburg County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 31457, Charlotte, NC 28231-1457 if you don’t have your tax bill stub or Mecklenburg County Tax Collector, P.O. Box 71063, Charlotte, NC 28272-1063 if you do.
Once the due date has passed, the county will charge interest each month until the property tax bill is paid. The county also sends “delinquent notices” to taxpayers that are behind and advertises “delinquent taxpayers” in The Charlotte Observer.
What to do if you fall behind on your Charlotte property taxes
If you’re having trouble paying your property taxes or believe there’s an issue with your property tax bill, you should reach out to the county Office of the Tax Collector.
When you’re in Mecklenburg County, you can get in touch by calling 311. If you’re outside the county, you have to call 704-336-7600. And you can also email taxmeck@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov with questions or concerns.
How to find out if you’re at risk of foreclosure
“Properties with delinquent real estate taxes are subject to tax foreclosure,” the Office of Tax Collectors says.
If you’re delinquent on your taxes, you will receive a notice from the county. The county will also run an advertisement in the Observer.
When the county decides to foreclose, per the tax collection office, the case will be assigned to an attorney, and that attorney will reach out to “all of the owners, mortgage holders, judgment and lien holders, and other parties having an interest in the property.” The assigned attorney “will provide a timeline to resolve the tax delinquency.”
If the tax issues aren’t resolved during that time frame, the attorney will file a complaint in Mecklenburg County Courts, and you’ll be served a summons notifying you of the complaint. You’ll then have 30 days to file a response.
What are your rights when facing foreclosure?
If you’ve been notified that the county is trying to foreclose on your home, there are things you can do to stop the foreclosure.
“State law provides that any owner, mortgage holder, or defendant in a filed tax foreclosure proceeding can stop the foreclosure process at any time by redeeming the property,” the county advises.
To redeem the property, you have to pay “the taxes, interest, legal fees, and costs of the foreclosure proceeding to the date of the redemption.”
If the case has already been assigned to an attorney, you should contact the attorney to work out the payoff.
Additionally, the county says, “bankruptcy proceedings filed by the property owner under federal law can also halt tax foreclosure actions.” “All the taxes, interest, fees, and costs to the date of the bankruptcy filing must be paid as a priority or secured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding,” the Office of the Tax Collector says.
If you believe your tax issue is the result of “an illegal tax or imposed by clerical error for an illegal purpose,” then you need to file a response explaining that in court during the 30-day period after you’re notified of the county filing its complaint in court.
This story was originally published May 8, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
