Hi Sue To buy certificates online direct from the GRO, try the link below. The standard service for ordering certificates here cost just £7 (all included) and certificates are usually posted out within 4 working days. You need to register first, but there's no charge to do this and it saves you time and effort for future orders. http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificate/index.asp#0 Higher prices apply if you don't have the full reference number, want a faster service or would like the reference checked. As you discovered there are a number of "rip-off" sites designed to look official - unfortunately some people are initially taken in these by these and pay their hugely inflated prices. I have in the past reported some of these to Trading Standards, and any sites based in the UK would in theory be subject to their scrutiny, so the more people that complain, the better. Hope that helps Pauline Kennedy ----- Original Message ----- From: <SJEAST@aol.com> To: <LEICESTERSHIRE-PLUS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 12:26 PM Subject: [LEI] re purchase of certificates Dear listers Could you advise me on the purchase of certificates online. Having been fortunate in being able to get to the FRO to purchase mine in person I have been oblivious of on line shopping. Now faced with the devastating closure of the FRO I have ventured on line and have been shocked at what I have discovered: sites claiming to be official asking £25 for a certificate or claiming that £19.50 is the lowest online price, etc. Surely people cannot be paying these prices? Having eventually located the GRO via various links I then had enormous difficulty locating their price list. I now discover that I have been very fortunate to have been paying £7 for my certificates all this time. Paying a further £1.50 to buy online does not make sense to me. Why am I getting the feeling that we are being exploited. Is this just my problem because I wasn't born with a computer on my lap!! ? Reading about the enormous chaos taking place over the relocation of our public records which is now not going to be completed until 2009, at current estimation, makes me want to apologise to all overseas listers. I think this merits a TV documentary. I don't want to create a big debate on site as it is a national issue. I just need to put things in perspective and its good to have fellow researchers out there to talk to. Many thanks Sue in London.