Buying certificates through Ancestry?

[Elaine ..Spain]

Is this something new?
I was just looking up a birth on the freeBMD section of Ancestry, and find that they have a "order record" icon (like a cart) to the right of view image.

When you click on it you are taken to an Ancestry Shop page with a form to complete the details for the certificate. It's a bit daft because it is asking for information that you cannot give, e.g. a date of birth, names of parents etc!

It also says at the bottom "Additional copies will be charged at £10.00 each" but I cannot see a price for just the one copy. I bet it's not £7.00!






*waits for someone to tell me it's been there for months* :D:D

[Elaine ..Spain]

In case anyone wants to know how much they are, I have just done a dummy run on it!




What a con!

[Debbie]

I guess I won't be ordering anymore certificates. I've always paid 7 pounds (abt 16 Canadian dollars) What a ridiculous price for photocopying a piece of paper!

[Elaine ..Spain]

Just keep ordering from the GRO, Debbie. The cost from them is £7.

I just hope that people new to this hobby don't believe that certificates have to be ordered through Ancestry. To be honest, on a site such as Ancestry I think it is disgraceful that they want to charge nearly three times more than the "correct price".

[Lynn The Forest Fan]

They used to have button which took you straight to the GRO site, which I have sometimes used after checking the reference, but that is disgusting!

[Jill on the A272]

What a rip off:(

[Pipemma]

They used to have button which took you straight to the GRO site, which I have sometimes used after checking the reference, but that is disgusting!

They still do have a link on the transcript pages, takes you straight to the GRO site.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

So, not only nearly three times the price but they also take over twice as long as from the GRO.

Having said that, I think it's a little unfair to decribe the GRO's service (or the local reg office service) as just "photocopying a piece of paper". They have to find the record first and that's the difficult part!!

[margaretmarch]

The certs from GRO are not photocopies. They are images from the register printed onto proper certificate paper and if it was your own certificate you would want it to look 'official' as it might not be accepted for the purposes you need to use it for.
Margaret

[Anne in Carlisle]

Why would anyone want the certificate at that price if they already know all the information??? You need to fill in the exact birth date, mother's name and father's name for example! It won't let you go any further with the order unless you fill all those in.

Anne

[KiteRunner]

I had noticed that "order record" button but I assumed it would take you to the GRO site. I have to say that I wouldn't trust ancestry to get me the right certificate, even if the cost were the same as the GRO!

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

Just out of curiosity............would there be any legal problems if a list of these links/companies were added somewhere with a warning that they are the expensive option compared to GRO and local offices?

In the certs section of the wiki there is a warning that links posted to these sites will be removed (i added the comment when creating the section, primarily to avoid companies receiving free advertising space but it can easily be edited).

The screenshot thread to another site on Research gives a warning about one particular site

http://www.familytreeforum.com/research-qs/49416-bmd-certificate-site-avoid.html

[Olde Crone Holden]

Anyone else getting the feeling that Ancestry are feeling the pinch a bit, and desperate for new revenue???

OC

[Bee]

That is really disgusting! What a shocking price.

How can they justify ripping people off like that, I wonder. I know there are other companies which do that, but ancestry is so widely-known, they may well be the first port of call for many people.

(Not that us moaning will change anything, but it helps to let off steam.)

Bee.

[Elaine ..Spain]

Just out of curiosity............would there be any legal problems if a list of these links/companies were added somewhere with a warning that they are the expensive option compared to GRO and local offices?

Personally, I think we are better off placing emphasis on the fact that certificates should only be purchased either from the GRO direct or from a local Records Office.
Although we could give a warning, not sure that we should specify certain sites which should be avoided.

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

Although we could give a warning, not sure that we should specify certain sites which should be avoided.

That's how we stand at the moment, c&p from the wiki, no specific links or companies named;

PLEASE NOTE

Due to the increasing interest in family history many companies have been set up which offer copies of birth, marriage and death certificates at higher prices. Typically these companies charge £25 upwards and take 15 days to supply a certificate.

Any links to such companies submitted here WILL BE REMOVED.

Spam and excessive advertising is something that will not be tolerated and is in breach of the Terms and Conditions of this site. Please consult the Terms and Conditions

If you should find such a link submitted, you can report it to the Family Tree Forum site for removal by clicking the link here

Links to most of the register offices throughout the country can be found on the relevant county boards, should you wish to google for a particular office then please use the following guidelines to avoid the bmd certificate companies;


A fuller explanation about ordering certs via local offices and the GRO is given

http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/index.php/England_and_Wales_Certificates#Ordering_a_BMD_Certificate

[margaretmarch]

PLEASE NOTE

Due to the increasing interest in family history many companies have been set up which offer copies of birth, marriage and death certificates at higher prices. Typically these companies charge £25 upwards and take 15 days to supply a certificate.

Any links to such companies submitted here WILL BE REMOVED.
I think you need to edit this statement to allow for the fact that the link to ancestry is included but their certificate buying facility falls into the category above.
Margaret

[Christine in Herts]

I should have thought that, if you were to list the businesses (without actual links) alongside their price-menus, any further comment would be redundant! - especially in ascending order of price.

It would be reasonable to remark that GRO does charge more if you can't supply them with the reference they need.

Christine

[Elaine ..Spain]

I like Merry's new signature!

[Margaret in Burton]

I like Merry's new signature!

LOL Me too :D:D