|
Did you realise that it is more expensive to obtain a certificate from a local registrar's office?
You have to send a stamped addressed envelope with the request and enclose a cheque ................ OR if you live overseas like me then you have to add an extra £1 to the amount that you send to cover the cost of postage. And, of course, unless one has a UK bank account, one has to go and buy a money order from the bank, with its associated extra charges!
GRO charges the same £7 whether you are in the UK or not.
In addition, what you get from the registrar's office is a copy of the original taken at this moment in time by someone in the office. In other words ................ what you see has been interpreted by someone else.
What you get from GRO is a photocopy (or computer printout) of the information they have on record .................which was of course copied by someone years ago when the information was first received at GRO.
I actually prefer the latter .................... it may not be my ancestor's actual handwriting that I see, but at least I can try to decipher the ancient copperplate instead of having it filtered through someone else!
Sylvia
|
|
I think it depends on the office whether or not you pay extra for postage.
I ordered a marriage cert from Huddersfield recently and it was just £7. It came next day. As you say, it is usually a handwritten copy made just then.
I gather that some of the larger local offices are getting copying equipment, so it may be possible to be sent a facsimile of the original entry, but surely even this is a copy of the original cert?
Some local offices, London ones in particular, will not issue certs for genealogical purposes at all. Others, treat them as low priority.
For example, Liverpool RO state on their website that Certificates for family history research are processed within 2 to 3 weeks or less, depending upon the time of year and the demand for other certificates.
Liverpool also state that a charge of 50p will be made for all certificates not collected personally or for all credit/debit card transactions under£50.
|
|
Peter,
Four years ago I ordered 3 certificates from Oldham. They were the first certificates I had ever ordered, and I knew no better.
The Registrar's Office wanted £7 + £1 postage for each certificate. I also had to include an addressed envelope of a certain size ..........which is actually not available over here, so I had to get the nearest size that I could!
The 3 certificates came in the same envelope, by airmail ........... so it cost me £3 for postage, which was NOT the cost of the stamps on the envelope!
They would only accept a money order for the £24, so I had to make a special trip to the bank, and pay their charges.
The £24 cost me something close to $60!
Is it any wonder that I find it easier to deal with GRO, and charge it to my credit card?
Sylvia
|
|
In the case of airline you can usually cancel or amend a flight,but usually you'll be charged some sort of penalty or lose a deposit for doing so. I don't think they would insist on sending you the ticket anyway regardless and charge you in full.
I personally think the GRO should be more flexible, ok a 7 day cooling off period probably wouldn't work here, as they usually have a 4-5 day turnaround, but cancelling an order within 24 hours of making it should be possible, or at any stage before sending, perhaps with a small fee.
I am perhaps old fashioned in thinking businesses should value their customers a little by accomodating them like this..bu there you go!
|
