Poughkeepsie… Dutchess County Clerk Bradford Kendall is again urging all Dutchess County residents to be aware of a company entitled, New York Record Retrieval, Inc.  The company is again mailing letters to Dutchess County residents informing them, that for a fee of $59.50, the company can retrieve a certified copy of their deed and mail it back to them.  On their webpage,   New York Record Retrieval states that they will obtain a copy of the deed from the “County Clerk’s office.”

Clerk Kendall stated, “This continues to be nothing more than a quick way to make money off of 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 for a mailed copy. We only accept a check, money order or cash.  New York Record Retrieval is asking for credit card numbers, which is another red flag for this company.”

Clerk Kendall concluded by saying, “Anyone who receives this letter from New York Record Retrieval and has questions about their deed or any other legal document can contact me directly at 845-486-2195.  I can’t stress enough; 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.”