LowellDeeds

At least half the registry staff was fortunate to have put in for vacation days for this, the nicest day of the summer so far. With things so slow, those employees who did work handled today's business with ease. I filled in at the Customer Service Office which gave me a good sampling of the phone calls and the walk-in customers using the registry for the first time. Three things form the bulk of that business: Mortgage discharges (both missing ones and those in need of recording), declarations of homestead (we provide blank forms, notarize signatures and record the final product) and PLOT PLANS. Each day we must get a dozen inquiries seeking plot plans. It seems that every time someone decides to put up a fence, add a deck, or build an addition, the local building department must say something like "go to the registry of deeds and get a copy of your plot plan." Sadly, we can't help these folks. We just tell them that the plot plan doesn't get recorded and give them a free copy of their deed as sort of a consolation prize. Although there's probably many good reasons not to do this (just ask a surveyor, if you're curious about what they are), I think attorneys should start attaching copies of the plot plan to the deed (in a sale) or the mortgage (in a refinance). There'd be no extra charge and the plan would become part of our records, always available to the home owner for whatever reason. If you have any thoughts on this topic, please try our "comments" link just below.