Each year, Guilford County uses public shaming as one of its tools to get people to pay the property taxes they owe and this year is no exception.
The release of the list each year gives everyone who wants to wade through it a chance to see who did not pay their property taxes on time, which means that, therefore, the county officially has a lien on that property until the bills are paid in full with interest. On Friday, March 14, the county put out the new list of those who haven’t paid their tax bill.
If you want to see who hasn’t paid, or who didn’t pay by the deadline in January, you should point your web browser to the following site, where a complete downloadable list will be provided:
https://www.guilfordcountync.gov/home/showdocument?id=15786
This list includes individuals and businesses.
It used to be posted in the newspaper; however, a change in state law years ago allowed the county to save money and simply post the list on the web instead.
In essence, if you are on the list it means the county can come take your property sell it at auction and use the proceeds to pay the tax bill. It rarely ever comes to that; however, if you don’t pay for a long time and don’t work with the department to cover the bill, it is a possibility.
When Guilford County Tax Director Ben Chavis released the list, he offered the following public statement:“Under and by virtue of the power vested in me by the laws of the State of North Carolina, particularly by Chapter 806 Session Laws of 1971 and set forth in GS 105-369, and pursuant to the Commissioners of Guilford County, I hereby advertise all real estate properties available for viewing.”
The list includes the unpaid Guilford County taxes, owing for the year 2024. The amounts advertised in the new public list have been increased by interest and costs.
Chavis notes, “The omission of interest and cost from the amounts advertised will not constitute a waiver of the taxing unit’s claim for those costs. The taxing unit may foreclose the tax liens and sell the real property subject to the liens in satisfaction of its claim for taxes.”
