County recorder warns of misleading mailing

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Champaign County Recorder Glenda Bayman is warning property owners about an official looking mailing titled Recorded Deed Notice. The company Record Transfer Services, of California, tells property owners why they need a copy of their “Current Grant Deed and Property Assessment Profile” and that this will be provided if property owners mail the company $83 by a certain deadline.

Bayman reports that there are three problems with this mailing. First, people may not read the notice carefully and think that this is an official government notification of money due and just mail the $83. Second, property owners may think this is information that they don’t have, but need. And lastly, the company is charging $83 for information that anyone can get for free or for a nominal copy fee.

Bayman wants property owners to know that the current deed to their property will show who the legal owner is and when the property was transferred. It also includes the legal description of the property. A property owner should have the original deed and may obtain a copy at the county Recorder’s Office for 25 cents a page.

The company, Record Transfer Services, does state that this is a solicitation and that it is not a government agency, but it also states that the profile report is only available through its services. The information in the Property Assessment Profile is information that property owners may obtain for free from the Champaign County Auditor’s office or website at http://champaignoh.ddti.net.

The Recorder and Auditor Offices are located at 1512 S. U.S. Route 68, on the south side of Urbana. They are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Submitted story

Submitted by the Champaign County Recorder Office.

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