Posted by Anonymous on 9/6/05 1:31pm
Msg #63870

Accepted a signing for tomorrow w/ 24/7 San Clemete, CA, got

to my office and did a search on thos board, bad rep, can I still cancel or is that unethical?

Reply by Art_MD on 9/6/05 1:44pm
Msg #63872

Take the signing. You accepted, they may have docs in the mail, borrower has been notified, etc.
The bad rep is, from my experience, slow pay. I don't remember anyone not getting paid.

Art

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/6/05 2:12pm
Msg #63876

Re: Accepted a signing for tomorrow w/ 24/7 San Clemete, CA,

I disagree. We have no obligation to work for crappy companies just because we didn't know of their reputation at the time we accepted the signing. If you don't want to work for them, call them ASAP and tell them exactly why. If they've already sent the docs out they can arrange for another notary to pick them up from you. Ain't your problem, don't give it a second thought.

A bad rep for slow pay is certainly a reason not to work for them. Many people have had to make many many phone calls to 24/7 before getting paid. They're a definite no no IMO.

Reply by PNW_Notary on 9/6/05 2:43pm
Msg #63878

Cancel

I would call them this minute to cancel. Slow pay is unacceptable.

It is THEIR problem that they pay their notaries so low and so slow.
They can be responsible for finding another notary.

If I got overnight docs, I would be cooperative in letting the replacement notary come to me to get them.

I would also call the title company and let them know why I canceled. You can bet the SS will put the blame on you and lie that you did something terrible.

Reply by April_NY on 9/6/05 3:49pm
Msg #63883

CANCEL!!! Refer them to Art...

Slow pay??
you will spend more time harassing them months and months on end, phone calls, faxes and threats. Its not worth any amount they are willing to pay (which usually isn't much anyways)
Since Art doesn't seem to mind that... let him take it.

Reply by Art_MD on 9/7/05 7:05am
Msg #63959

Re: Refer them to Art...so I can

turn them down

Maybe I'm old fashioned. When I make a verbal contract, I meet my obligations. If I agree to do a signing with a company that has a bad rep, that's my fault, but doesn't relieve me of my contractual obligations. Even if I think I will have a lot of extra work to get paid, that is a thought, not a fact. The chance (highly likely in some cases) that the other party to the contract will not totally meet their obligation, doesn't void a contract.

Where has integrity and professionalism gone ..!!!

Art

Reply by BrendaTX on 9/7/05 8:26am
Msg #63967

Re: Refer them to Art...so I can

Art,

You are one of those good guys whom I truly respect, but I don't think the same way you do about this issue. I have changed my view.

I guess I have learned (for me) that working for the scumbag companies is a form of casting pearls before swine even if I have to back out when I find out they are scum.

The Pigs trample right over me, abuse me - and I allowed it - they abuse anyone they can use me as a bridge to get to, and then my good energy is not available to serve a better purpose and I have helped them continue to do their dishonesty.

I owe it to my employer (me) to maintain integrity and professionalism in my protection of the company assets (me). But, that's just my way of seeing it.

I see loving myself as much as I love other people as important as loving other people as much as I love myself. It took me a long time to learn that, but it sure has simplified things in my work.

Reply by Charles_CA on 9/7/05 9:32am
Msg #63976

Right on, Brenda!

You are right on the money and it is necessary to maintain ones integrity above all things. One has to be true to ones self. I also look at it this way. Frequently I find that after I agreed to a fee or a particular charge for some aspect of the job the when I get the cofirmation fo the order there is a bounc of other discalimers or qualifications attached. To me my word is gold but when I get unilateral contracts which modify my word it iw up tome to either accept or reject them and I usually reject them. I have had some very angry words over this policy but who cares about SOX

Reply by William B. Yockey on 9/7/05 5:16pm
Msg #64081

Re: Refer them to Art...so I can

Art, You are 100% correct. The onus is on the contractor. If you make a verbal agreement in PA. you can be held liable for breach of contract. The homework is our own to do. Ask questions about what is expected....many just make asumptions, that are not necessarily true. And it is the asumptions that get you stuck. If the Company is new to you....... What are you asking me to do, provide, or supply for this assignment? Is a very good question.to ask.

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/8/05 2:45am
Msg #64121

100% correct? Hardly

"What are you asking me to do, provide, or supply for this assignment? Is a very good question.to ask."

Please tell me you're kidding. If you don't know what a signing service is asking you to do when they call and offer you a job, you shouldn't be a signing agent. It's not like we have a menu of services we offer.

We can't usually do our homework on a new company until after we've accepted the assignment. That's reality, it's not like they're going to give us an hour to research them on the net and then call us back to see if we still want to do the signing. Nobody is going to sue us for breach of verbal contract if we give back a signing, don't be ridiculous.

And no signing service is going to tell you "yeah, we routinely screw our notaries" when you ask about their payment procedures so that's hardly a foolproof way of protection. The onus is on US to protect ourselves and sometimes the only way to do that is to cancel a signing after we accept it.

To me, anybody who willingly goes on an assignment for a company that they know has a history of payment problems, is volunteering to work for free and should consider it a bonus if they actually get paid.

Reply by Anonymous on 9/8/05 7:42am
Msg #64131

Re: 100% correct? Hardly

Asking someone to be clear in what they want- I'm speaking of an unknown company here- is a good idea. Otherwise you ARE still responsible for what YOU agree to. CALI you apparently make a lot of assumptions. That is fine for you ...some just do not do business that way. ie you assume that ss would not go after you for a signing.....Do you really believe that if you are the reason a signing failure there is no monetary loss? A loss worth collecting. Why do you think they ask for E+O insurance? I've seen companies take people to the local magistrate for $50.00 I've seen banks prosecute for far less..........

Reply by CaliNotary on 9/8/05 3:04pm
Msg #64236

Re: 100% correct? Hardly

I really don't understand what you're saying here. What exactly am I supposed to ask them instead of assuming? I know how to do a loan doc signing, I've done well over 1000 of them. If they want me to do something specific or out of the ordinary they can tell me, but otherwise all of my signings are done pretty much the same way.

It's not "making assumptions", it's knowing how to do the job properly without having to be babysat the whole way through.