Homeowner’s Property Sold For Unpaid Taxes Even Though She Paid

A Chicago homeowner’s property was sold due to unpaid taxes, even though she has receipts proving payment. Robin McElroy, a Cook County resident, received a notice stating her tax payments were delinquent.

Cook County Circuit Court informed McElroy she was no longer the owner of her home and owed three years’ past-due rent to the new owners, CBS Chicago reported.

McElroy bought her property in 2012 and says she has diligently paid her taxes every year since. However, this is not the first time the Morgan Park resident has faced issues with the tax assessment office.

In 2019, McElroy began receiving letters alerting her of tax delinquency and warning of possible consequences. It was discovered that the tax assessment pin, a number assigned to each individual property, was swapped with her next-door neighbors. The swap caused the system to apply tax payments to the neighboring property.

“I just started receiving letters just from different tax buyers,” McElroy said.

McElroy reached out to the office and was told the issue would be resolved. A note was added to her account stating that an internal correction should be made.

“They actually told me, ‘Don’t worry about it,'” she said.

Unfortunately, the issue was not fixed, and five years later, McElory is in an even more precarious position. She has had to hire a lawyer to respond to the notice of sale for her home.

McElroy has receipts proving she’s made consistent payments on the property. She is outraged at having to fight for her own home and also has empathy for the new “homeowner.”

“This lady should not have to be put in this position to go through all of this headache and heartache,” she said. “I want what’s rightfully owned to me.”

Property ownership is a great step toward securing a stable future. Still, the details can be a bit daunting to navigate. BLACK ENTERPRISE recently reported on a new homeowner who faces a lien against his new purchase. After buying the foreclosed property, the new owner was hit with a $71,000 water bill. The new owner was unaware of a leak that skyrocketed the water bill to such heights. Now, he is responsible for settling the bill of the previous homeowner to receive services.

Buying a home or investment property is a decision that can greatly benefit anyone. However, researching the property and any litigation, liens, or county grievances is a potential homeowner’s second-best decision. In order to protect an investment, sign up for alerts with the local county clerk. This will allow potential buyers to be notified if any action is taken on their property. Allowing the property owner time to correct any errors that may jeopardize their home.