Genealogy Chat

Don't know if this has been mentioned and apologies if it has...
Taken from the Lost Cousins latest newsletter

"General Records Office blunders on

First family historians were hit by a 32% rise in certificate prices effective from April 6th - then the GRO announced that the checking service is to be discontinued:

We have been advised that there is no clear remit in statute for charging for a service to check additional index references, or to retain partial fees. In order to ensure full legal compliance, and in view of the fact that we cannot afford to offer this service free of charge, we are regretfully withdrawing our reference checking service from 6 April. This will include the withdrawal of the "checking points".

So, not only will we be paying more for certificates in future, we'll also end up with more incorrect certificates!"

http://lostcousins.com/newsletters/latest.htm

Mmmmmm!

Chris

That shows there is a definate need for people to add postems for certificates they have purchased thus reducing the chance of us ordering the wrong certificate. I've added postems for all mine.

Chris

Yes, it was mentioned last week.

In fairness to the GRO, the increase is a result of Gordon Brown's insistence that there is no taxpayer subsidy for these services. The last price rise was in 2003, I believe, so at under £10 even after the latest increase we can't complain that much. Many other counties are much more expensive.

The postem idea may seem like a good suggestion but surely it is only scratching the surface, given the millions of certs only a tiny tiny percentage will ever get notes added.

Thanks for that info PigletsPal I wasn't aware that the increase was slighly less if using a local office.

Chris

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Changes to Fees and Services from 6 April 2010

Customers are asked to please note that there will be a change to the GRO fee structure which will take effect from 6 April 2010. Further details can be found on the IPS website at www.ips.gov.uk. Please note in addition that GRO have reviewed the range of services which we currently offer. We have been advised that there is no clear remit in statute for charging for a service to check additional index references, or to retain partial fees. In order to ensure full legal compliance, and in view of the fact that we cannot afford to offer this service free of charge, we are regretfully withdrawing our reference checking service from 6 April. This will include the withdrawal of the "checking points".


http://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1569.htm

Don't forget that an application to a local office (unless it has online ordering) also needs two envelopes and two stamps - so it's actually more expensive. On the other hand, I am hoping they'll still offer the service to perform checks to make sure you get the right certificate. Nothing has been said about ripping your cheque up if they can't find the right one - a big advantage over the GRO.

Where I agree that it is frustrating if you order an incorrect certificate, you must remember that the local offices especially are there to provide the service of registering births deaths and marriages, and with the increase in marriages taking place outside the office, it puts a strain on the staff. They are short staffed as it is, and so they look at the purchase of a certificate purely for research purposes as secondary to the real purpose of the office.
I have a relation who is a registar and who had a breakdown as a result of work pressure. They were trying to operate on too few staff and only employed another after she was taken ill.
I do think that a place to 'swap' certs on this site would be a good idea, however you would have to trust the other person to send the cert and payment and this could easily be abused.