MAYVILLE — Chautauqua County Clerk Larry Barmore recently received a solicitation to purchase a deed for $86 for property he owns. This is the same solicitation Barmore warned residents of only a year ago.

“These companies continue to solicit our residents, which tells me people are falling for it and sending them their hard-earned money,” Barmore said. “I can’t stress enough what a waste of money this is and residents should simply throw those solicitations in the recycling bin. In most cases, property owners already have their deed. It was returned to them after they purchased the property, but obtaining a certified copy is easy and shouldn’t cost more than a few dollars.”

Barmore noted the solicitation also offered to provide a “Property Assessment Profile” that could be used to contest property taxes. Any information needed to contest property tax assessments is available free of charge and most of the information can be easily accessed on the internet.

State legislation was passed requiring these companies to place a disclaimer on their letter that states: “Certified copies of property deeds are available at the county clerk’s office. The county clerk’s office may charge a small fee for certified copies of such deeds, usually between two and four dollars a page. Since most property deeds are between two and five pages in length, a certified copy can usually be obtained for between $4 and $20.”

Even with the disclaimer, local residents are still confused about this solicitation letter as it appears to be an invoice.

“I’m urging residents who get these solicitations to simply discard them. If you have any questions about getting a copy of your deed, call our office and we’ll be happy to help you,” said Barmore.

At this time, the County Clerk’s office accepts cash, check, and money orders. Copies of deeds, mortgages and other documents recorded in the County Clerk’s office can be obtained either in person during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Mayville office or by sending a request to The County Clerk’s Office, P.O. Box 170, Mayville, NY, 14757.

For complete information on obtaining a copy, including the exact fee required, please call the county clerk’s office at 753-4331.