The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Watch Out For Outrageous Deed Copy Charges

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Local constituents contacted Rensselaer County Legislators about the legality of a solicitation they received from New York Record Retrieval, Inc. offering to obtain a certified copy of their deed for what seemed to be an excessive charge.
Legislators Lester Goodermote and Stan Brownell addressed the issue with Rensselaer County Clerk Frank Merola, and Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino.

Rensselaer County officials are continuing to warn members of the public about companies offering to obtain copies of deeds for excessive charges. A homeowner’s deed is available for a minimal charge from the County Clerk’s office. From left to right, County Executive Kathleen Jimino, Legislator Stan Brownell, County Clerk Frank Merola and Legislator Lester Goodermote review a solicitation letter. Photo courtesy of Rich Crist.
Rensselaer County officials are continuing to warn members of the public about companies offering to obtain copies of deeds for excessive charges. A homeowner’s deed is available for a minimal charge from the County Clerk’s office. From left to right, County Executive Kathleen Jimino, Legislator Stan Brownell, County Clerk Frank Merola and Legislator Lester Goodermote review a solicitation letter. Photo courtesy of Rich Crist.

“It did not sound right to us,” said Brownell.  “It is easy to obtain a copy of a deed, and this charge sounded off the wall.”
“As a former businessman, I am in favor of free enterprise but this letter is simply outrageous”, said Merola.  “This letter is nothing but a solicitation by a company to enrich themselves by providing a service that is not really needed.  It costs no more than $10.00 at most to obtain a certified copy of a deed in Rensselaer County and a property owner can obtain a certified copy by either coming into the office or by sending a written request.  I hope no one takes this company up on their offer and pays this fee of $59.50.”
“This solicitation is disgraceful in the difficult economic times we are facing today,” stated Goodermote.  “As county legislators, we fight to maintain services at a minimal cost to the constituents.  This solicitation letter is hitting this area hard and I hope our constituents don’t fall prey to it.”
While the solicitation is legal, it is misleading.  The letter does not tell residents the reason why they may need a certified copy of their deed, and it fails to inform them that their deed is on file in the County Clerk’s office and always readily available for search and retrieval purposes.
Because of imaging and electronic indexes, it takes an average of five minutes from the time a property owner comes into the office until the time they receive their certified copy.
“This is just one of many services provided by Rensselaer County.  We want the residents to take advantage of these services and not be scammed into paying extraordinary fees for the service by outside businesses,” said Brownell.
If residents have concerns or questions, they can contact Kathy Jimino at 518-270-2900, Frank Merola at 518-270-4080.