Carbon County residents desiring a copy of the deed to their property, or any other record of title, can obtain the documentation from the office of Recorder of Deeds Donna Gentile at a nominal fee.

Gentile issued a notice to residents today, saying the process of receiving the document is much easier and cheaper than what residents may be advised of through a recent announcement in the U.S. mail.

“In that mailing, an agency listing a Harrisburg address does advise county residents that it is not affiliated with the county in which a deed was filed in, nor affiliated with any government agencies, but, Gentile said, it asks a fee of $89 for someone to obtain their documents.

“Several county residents have called my office to inquire about what they received in the mail,” Gentile explained.

“We were made aware of the mailed document. While we cannot and will not comment on what appears to be a private enterprise, what we can do is our best to inform the public of services available to them from the Recorder’s office,” she said.

The Recorder’s office is responsible for the preservation of records relating to real property in the county.

By law, the recorder is the keeper of permanent records of all property for which she is required to record and affix her seal on, but not limited to deeds, mortgages, easements and rights of way.

The office is also the guardian of records of agreements of sale, plot developments, property options, leases, and charters of nonprofit organizations, among other records of property ownership.

Gentile said she wants residents to know the documents filed in the recorder’s office are public records that are available to anyone upon request at a nominal fee.

“Unlike someone who charges $89 for a deed, which may be a perfectly legal initiative, the Recorder’s office can provide the very same document for a fee of approximately $2, or $3.50 (depending on the number of pages), Gentile said.

The recorder said she understands someone might want to have in their possession a copy of their deed, mortgage or other document of record.

“They may not have a full understanding of the process because the filing is something an attorney does. But this office is the caretaker of all of the official documents of record here, and we will gladly provide for residents what they ask without them having to pay someone $89,” she said.

The Recorder’s office is located on the first floor of the Carbon County Administration Building in Jim Thorpe. It can be reached by telephone at 570-325-2651.