Sheriff’s Office alerts residents about company offering a possibly misleading solicitation to sell property records that can be obtained for less cost at the parish Clerk of Court’s Office;

Sheriff James Pohlmann is alerting parish residents that a company is sending letters of solicitation offering to sell them copies of their property records at a price generally much higher than they could be obtained from the parish Clerk of Court’s Office and the letter could be misinterpreted as a bill they must pay.

Record Transfer Services of Westlake Village, Ca., recommends in the letter that all homeowners obtain a copy of their current grant deed and offers to sell them one for $83.

Sheriff Pohlmann said the letter is not a bill from a public agency and shouldn’t be interpreted as something a homeowner has to pay. Anyone wanting a copy of a deed can get one at a generally much lower price at the Clerk of Court’s Office in Chalmette, he said.

The Sheriff’s Office and Clerk’s Office have received inquiries from the public regarding whether the letter represented a bill they had to pay.

“This offer has not been made by any government agency,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “This is a solicitation, not a bill. And you are under no obligation to pay the amount stated unless you accept the offer.’’