RIP Sunderland Registrars Indexes

[Ruskie]

Thanks for that Jen.
My slightly unrelated comment was due to being concerned that the big boys might be swallowing up the small fry, but see that this is not the case in this instance. 

[briann1]

Unfortunately 5 months after receiving the emails from Sunderland Council saying that they would reinstate the BOR button in the near future to enable searchers to pin point actual death dates ,this has not yet happened and I now have my doubts that this feature will return. Very disappointed !  maybe more searchers who used this feature BOR button to identify death dates should snow them under with requests for its return.

[Vivsimm]

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for help with http://www.sunderland.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1399.  I've been trying to get to the BMD indexes for weeks, without success.
If I use Edge, I get a message that the browser isn't supported.
If I use Internet Explorer, I get 'There was a problem processing your request.  We have been notified of the problem and we will investigate the issue as soon as possible.'
I've e-mailed the office but, so far, no response.
Does anyone know what the problem is.  Is there, perhaps, a new link to the registers.
Thanks.

[Ryhopelad]

They are supposed to be having problems with the site which they say they are trying to resolve, this has been going on for months and is just typical of Sunderland Council. Very lucky if you get a reply from them and if you do it is the same response time and time again.
It would be interesting to know just how much income they have lost with the site being down with people who live outside Sunderland wanting to purchase certificates online.
Anyone looking to use this site do not hold your breath as you could be in for a very long wait.
 
Would anyone from the Registrars like to comment?

Ryhopelad

[briann1]

Hi Vivsimm I got a reply from Sunderland Customer services back in October asking which browser worked with their new site set up and they just said they were working to fix the problem, it seems that no browser actually works so as Ryhope Lad said apart from obtaining dates for research work
no one can even order any certificates online
But of course they are trying to fix the problem. STILL

[Vivsimm]

Thanks, Ryhopelad and Brian1.  How disappointing that Sunderland hasn't jumped on the problem yet.  I felt so lucky that a huge amount of my research was in Sunderland because the BMD index was so good, and because the Registrar supplied photocopies of original marriage documents, rather than transcriptions, so that real signatures could be seen.  I don't know of any other registrars that do that.
I'm really afraid that they might decide not to bother with the index any longer, as they do refer researchers to the GRO indexes.  If so, we can say goodbye to original signatures.

[Clarrie]

I've also had real problems with the site.

Id like to come to the defence of the staff, though.  I've always found them to be superb.  Despite my ancestors never spelling their name the same way twice, they have never let me down once and always found  the cert I needed.  They were very patient, prompt and professional online, by snail mail or by phone.

It might be best to try calling the office direct.

I should imagine that funds are scarce now in these days of austerity.  The IT side of things is unlikely to be down to the staff in the office anyway..  I'm sure it's not because they are lazy or don't care.

Clarrie.

[Vivsimm]

I would second that, Carrie.  The Sunderland staff are, indeed, wonderful.  I've dealt with them many times and they've always been very helpful.

[briann1]

I fully agree that each time I have visited the office for certificates the staff have been most helpful and efficient.Now though if you need a bmd certificate the staff are the one's who have to spend more time finding the correct cert as we can not now do our own pre-search.Surely it would be cost effective to quickly sort out the online problem so the public's visit to the office would be short, sweet and time saving.
 Months of "we are are working to fix the problem" is not acceptable.