Posted by notarypa on 5/11/05 10:09pm
Msg #37238

how is it that "they" make us feel guilty...

Yesterday I was waiting for edocs for a 4:30 appt., I called the title co. @ 3pm to ask if they were coming soon so I could print them and teleport myself to the signing location on time. At 6:50 pm someone called and said they were just delivered. She told me to print the docs and the borrower was waiting for me to meet him at 7pm. I said it was already 7pm. She said it was only 6:50. Oh. That gives me 10 min. to print docs and arrive somewhere that was a 45 min. drive away. Long story short...I didn't go last night. Today at 5pm someone called and said that I had agreed to bring the docs to the borrower tonite with yesterday's date and have them sign. I was already booked solid for tonite and explained that I hadn't heard anything from them all day and I would not have agreed to postdate as I could lose my notary comm. and therefore my job. Then, while I was at my first signing my cell phone kept ringing with 4 different people calling me and saying the same thing as the first person. (I let the ans. service pick up...) Now I'm doubting myself that I may have led someone to believe I would do this and left them high and dry. Am I crazy? or over tired? Someone please tell me I did the right thing and I can relax!!!

Reply by CaliNotary on 5/11/05 10:27pm
Msg #37240

Of course you did the right thing. It's pretty difficult to accidentally say "yes, I will backdate" without even realizing it.

One of the less desirable aspects of this job is that we get to be the fall guy for the less ethical lender/title company/signing service employees. When something goes wrong they just blame it on the notary. And these same employees think that we plan our entire day around their one signing, and that of course we're going to be happy to do it whenever they want us to.

In the future it would behoove you to tell the title company or whoever you talk to about the edocs that you need them by X time or you won't be able to do the signing, unless you don't mind keeping your entire evening open in the hopes that they'll eventually get the docs to you. It's one thing to be flexible, it's another thing to let them treat us like chumps.

Reply by Melody on 5/11/05 10:45pm
Msg #37245

Cali is right. I do the same on all points. n/m

Reply by LW/WI on 5/11/05 10:53pm
Msg #37249

Re: Cali is right. I do the same on all points. n/m

i could have written that same story, late docs, long drive, they still want the closing at 11pm, 45 minutes away, as the folks moving van is in the driveway, and if i dont go, they will have no house. closing was supposed to be at 7pm on a fri night, docs get to my office at 9:20. needless to say, i declined, and invoiced them for a less than 2 hour cancel.

Reply by Roger/OH on 5/11/05 11:37pm
Msg #37252

YOU have to take control of your time...

Give them a specific, drop-dead time that you MUST have the docs by (2 hours before appt is usually good, depending upon the distance involved). Tell them in no uncertain terms that if the docs do not arrive by that time, then they either find someone else or their borrower goes to the last spot on your appointments for the day, as you will have to leave for your other appointments. You cannot be sitting around waiting for docs at the expense of your other companies who do have their docs ready.

Failure to plan on their part does not constitute an emergency on your part.

Reply by calipat/ca on 5/12/05 12:48am
Msg #37257

Re: YOU have to take control of your time...

I always ask that they be sent 3 hours before. I have turned away a couple because they do not meet my deadline whether I have signings or not. I am not going to babysit my computer all day and night.
Another twist on e-docs. I get a call today and it is for e-docs for anytime today. I accept and call borrower. E-docs were ready and sent to me about 15 mins after I hung up the phone with SS. I called borrower at 10am left message at 2pm left message. At 6pm still no call back. Finally left another message at 6:15 and it is 10:45pm and still no message. So where was the urgency in this if borrower does not even call to set up an appt time.
I just hope I don't get a call tomorrow to backdate for today, cause it will be a big NO.

Reply by NotaryPa on 5/12/05 6:57am
Msg #37267

Re: YOU have to take control of your time...

Thank you everyone, for your support! I appreciate your advice on the edoc time limit. Most of the companies I work for are pretty good at getting the docs to me that am or the day before, and I haven't had this happen since March, when this same particular co. I was talking about gave me 2 signings. One was so late that I couldn't do the signing b/c it would have meant missing my other appts. The other one, the docs came 3 hours after the appt., I had no other appts. and the borrowers didn't mind me coming at 9:30 pm. (Although I minded going then! lol) This was the third signing they asked me to do and I thought I'd give them one more chance in case the other 2 happened to be a fluke. It appears that this is the way the do their business all the time. ( I did a search on them here and they had good f/b , that's why I wanted to give it another go! )
The mortgage co. had 2 people call me and the title co. hd 2 people call me when I was on the signing and they all had the same # (with different extensions.) I left a message with the scheduler only, telling him that I would not jeopardize my notary comm. b/c they can't get their docs out in time. I will call today and ask them to take my name out of their database!

Reply by NotaryPa on 5/12/05 9:23am
Msg #37276

Re: YOU have to take control of your time...

I just got a call asking if I can bring the docs today and change the dates...I've already deleted them!

Reply by monica on 5/13/05 9:19pm
Msg #37679

paging george jetson....

There must be a way to stretch 10 minutes into 1 1/2 which is really minimum needed for a local print and get there job.