Posted by DM_FL on 8/12/05 4:22pm
Msg #58667

Printing Fee Madness

I accepted an assignment from a SS over a week ago for a signing tomorrow. The title company emailed the docs today, and I printed them (lender copies and borrower copies). Nearly 3 hours later, I'm told by the title company that changes have to be made and the entire pacakage reprinted. No problem, I called the SS and let them know that I wanted to confirm an additional print fee. The SS said that they don't charge the title company an additional fee if the package has to be reprinted. She told me that it's a cost of doing business that happens sometimes and that I could write it off. She said that, in her opinion, the $25 that I'm being paid for printing should cover printing a new package as well (lender copies and borrower copies). I told her that was just her opinion and that she needed to find someone else to handle the signing tomorrow. Was I wrong?

Reply by Dmartz_IN on 8/12/05 4:36pm
Msg #58670

No indeed its not a cost of doing business to have to reprint an entire package do to changes,a few pages i will include thats it.

Reply by Charm_AL on 8/12/05 4:46pm
Msg #58676

B.S.!! you charge for printing/copying. It is not your fault that you have to print/copy the entire pkg again!...When you quote your re-copy fee, tell them it's the cost of doing business.
If they don't charge for it, that's their choice and their cost of doing business...grrrr
and no you were not wrong, plus I'd invoice them $25.00 for print/copy of the docs.

Reply by DM_FL on 8/12/05 4:48pm
Msg #58677

Thanks Charm. I hadn't considered that because I'm still steamed about it.

Reply by Iris_WA on 8/12/05 4:54pm
Msg #58680

I agree with both previous posters. I think that the SS is thinking of a big title company -- they do not charge for reprinting the package, but then, they are large enough. I am sure the SS wasn't taking into account that you are a small business.

On the other hand, there may be some SAs who do consider this a cost of doing business. There may be a way to write off the copies at tax year end -- something like "bad debt" but in another category? In that way, while you're out-of-pocket now for paper/toner, you don't lose out altogether. (Document the number of pages, etc. and when they canceled.)

A CPA might be better able to advise.

Reply by JPS_CA on 8/12/05 5:13pm
Msg #58689

You need to tell us who is this cheap SS, so we can stay away from them or in future jobs quote them a higher price, because is "the cost of doing business".

Reply by Ilona Campbell-Mihai on 8/12/05 6:48pm
Msg #58706

I have Nationwide in Pa. that just changed from $25. to $10 for printing edocs although it wasn't that was in the origianl contacts we have to sign. The scheduling agent got really snotty with me on the phone. I hope this isn't an ongoing trend esp. with the price of gas hitting the roof.

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 8/12/05 7:35pm
Msg #58716

Yes I would also like to know who the cheapie is. That's rediculous. Quite frequently the scheduler doesn't even know how big the package is. The ss not charging the tc for re-print fees doesn't mean squat. Your contract was with the ss. That would be thier "cost of business", not yours.

Reply by DM_FL on 8/12/05 7:46pm
Msg #58722

Coastal Closings is the SS.

Reply by JPS_CA on 8/12/05 7:53pm
Msg #58726

I was going to write it down in my no no list, and guess what? It was in that black list already! lol

Reply by NY_TaxLady on 8/12/05 11:54pm
Msg #58785

I would invoice them for the copy fee and time and cc it to the title co. I don't like being ripped off. They don't charge extra to the title company because they are not paying the costs nor the time. They are also afraid the Title Co will go directly to the signing agent.

Reply by Bobbi in CT on 8/13/05 7:15am
Msg #58795

No, because ...

If enough companies must PAY a re-print fee, maybe it will encourage them to INSIST that their staff get it right the first time.

If there is no monetary loss on their part, why bother to proof the documents or make sure it it right. As long as the scheduling company doesn't have to pay out and they have NSAs willing to take this, there is no incentive for the scheduling company to complain to the lender / title company about their last-minute, shoddy work.