Hanover County investigating calls about delinquent taxes

Some Hanover County residents who are behind on their taxes have gotten phone calls and mail from a company telling them that their homes will be sold at a county auction next month.

The company, which is not affiliated with the county, then offers to buy the houses.

County officials say these calls and mailings are false, and that there's no county auction scheduled for Feb. 28, the date given to the home owners.

Hanover holds auctions for properties on which taxes are owed, but only after the taxes have been delinquent for at least two years on Dec. 31 of each year.

That means homes sold at an auction this year would have been unpaid since 2006 or earlier. Properties with delinquent taxes in 2007 wouldn't be eligible for auction until Jan. 1, 2010.

The treasurer's office is investigating the origin of the calls and is asking anyone who's gotten a call or mail to contact the office at (804) 365-6145.

-- Holly Prestidge