3358904

Warning of Exorbitant Deed Fees

3358904

Vultures have been at work preying on unsuspecting citizens in Michigan, and the Berrien County Register of Deeds is cautioning us all to be on the alert, now that legislation prohibits such activity.

Lori Jarvis is Berrien County's Register of Deeds, and she wants you to know that Governor Rick Snyder has signed into law new legislation that will prevent private companies from charging exorbitant fees for copies of deeds that are readily available to anyone from their local County Register of Deeds office.

Jarvis tells us, “This legislation spearheaded by Senator Curtis Hertel, Jr., a former Ingham County Register of Deeds, gives the citizen more information regarding what the soliciting company is really trying to accomplish. Most importantly the soliciting company cannot infer that it is a legal duty to have a copy of your deed, they must clearly state that a copy can be acquired at the Register of Deeds and they cannot charge more than 4 times the statutory fee charged by the public body.”
 
Jarvis goes on to point out that, “While you are most welcome, to have a personal copy of your deed, or any public document from the Register of Deeds office, these companies are using scare tactics to encourage some of our most vulnerable persons into believing that they should pay $80 or more for a copy of their deed, when the same can be acquired for as little as $1.00 at the Register of Deeds’ office.” 
 
Jarvis says, “I know the Michigan Association of Registers of Deeds is, and I am personally, appreciative of the legislature taking up this issue to protect our citizens and property owners.” 
 
Under the terms of the legislation, the attorney general can bring action against anyone who knowingly violates the terms of the act. The court can order the person to refund all of the money paid by the victims of the scam with respect to the solicitation. In addition, the company may be ordered to pay a fine of $100 for the first violation of the act followed by $200 for a subsequent violation. Fines collected under this section shall be distributed to public libraries.
 
PA 79 of 2016 was sponsored by Senators Hertel, Schuitmaker, O’Brien, Knezek, Hood, Young, Jones, Ananich, Gregory, Marleau and Schmidt.

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