Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Clerk Bradford Kendall is urging all Dutchess County residents to be very aware of a Brooklyn based land record company that has recently mailed letters to Dutchess County residents informing them, that for a fee of $85.00 and $4.95 for postage, the company can retrieve a certified copy of their deed and mail it back to them. On their webpage, the company states that they will obtain a copy of the deed from the County Clerk’s office. The company is titled NY Certified Deed Service.
Clerk Kendall stated, “This is nothing more than an opportunity and quick way to make money off the hardworking residents of Dutchess County. There is no reason a Dutchess County resident would need to reach out to a third party to obtain a certified copy of their deed from my office. We routinely provide a certified copy of a person’s deed for a fee of $6.00 or $11.00 if the request is made through the mail. We only accept a check, money order or cash. This company is asking for credit card numbers, which is another red flag for this company. In addition, the company states on their outgoing phone message that copies of deeds will take thirty days to be received. Our office processes requests and mails out the deed within seven to ten days”
County Clerk Kendall also points out that the company charges $200 for a certified copy of a mortgage. The County Clerk’s office charges 65 cents per page for those who come into the office and personally request a copy, or $11 for a request made through the mail.
Clerk Kendall concluded by saying, “Anyone who receives a letter from this land record company, and has questions about their deed or any other legal document can contact me directly at 845-486-2374. I can’t stress it enough; but, there is no reason to pay high fees to this company to obtain a copy of a deed or any other legal document. It is the job of the county clerk to maintain your records in a safe and secure manner and to provide you with copies at a reasonable price.”