Whenever a mortgagee or assignee of a mortgagee, holding or owning one or more mortgages upon real estate in any county in this state, shall furnish to the county auditor of such county a description of the lands covered by such mortgage or mortgages, on a sheet of paper provided therefor by such mortgagee or assignee, and shall request such county auditor to search the records of the auditor’s office, and to indicate on such sheet, in the appropriate space provided therefor, the amount of the unpaid general taxes, if any, standing against the lands therein described, for each given year, as shown by such records, and to indicate that such general taxes are paid for any given year or years, if such is the fact, the county auditor shall make such search of the auditor’s records and shall set down on such sheet of paper, in the appropriate space thereon provided, the amount of the unpaid general taxes for each given year, exclusive of interest or penalty, standing against the lands therein described. If the general taxes for any given year are paid, the auditor shall write on such sheet, in the appropriate space provided thereon, the word “paid”. The county auditor shall not be required to make any certificate as respects the information so furnished and shall receive no fee for furnishing such information or rendering such service.