One Pitt County man found out the hard way what happens when you don't pay your property taxes on time.

The taxes were due September 1st, but now those who haven't paid will face penalties.

That Pitt County man we talked with told us he checked his bank account Wednesday morning and saw it had been frozen. It turns out his account was frozen by tax collectors because he hadn't paid his property taxes yet.

That man owns and rents out several properties in the area. He has now paid the taxes, but is dealing with the repercussions of having his bank account frozen.

Pitt County tax collectors say they send out the property tax bill in July. It's due in September, but starting in January if you haven't paid, collectors will take steps to get the money. Those enforcement procedures are wage garnishment, bank account attachment, levy on personal property, and eventually foreclosure. So if you haven't paid your property taxes, any of those things could happen to you.

Officials say they do not send out monthly warnings that the bill is due after the initial bill is sent out in July. They expect property owners to be responsible.

They do send out a final warning at the end of January to let property owners who still haven't paid know their name will be advertised if they don't pay.

Officials say every year hundreds of people in Pitt County don't pay their property taxes by the deadline, so they are forced to use the enforcement procedures.