We have something called Council Tax which is a local tax to pay for the police etc at a local level. Non-Payment brings with it a court order and a payment schedule. The tax is linked to the market value of the house.
In the USA property taxes are the equivalent but I have just learned if you fail to pay, someone lese can pay and then they become the owner of the house,
That’s appalling. Now I see that the way in which US citizens run after money is mostly to do with the fear of what happens to you if you don’t have enough.