Posted by Nancy Harlan on 6/14/06 9:26pm
Msg #126083

Signatures Plus

I posted a note regarding SP a few days ago, and how they're not paying for all the signings I did. It's been obviously bothering me that it appears we, as witness closers, don't have any recourse when we are not paid for our services. However, a chat with our legal counsel at work (I am employed by a local title company in Milwaukee) informs me otherwise. When we are closing loans, the borrower is essentially paying us on the HUD when "notary services", or however it may be phrased, is listed as a settlement fee. The title company is responsible for disbursing all monies at funding, under the directionof the lender involved. Its illegal and a violation of RESPA to withhold payments listed on the HUD, and both the lender, title company and signing service can all be held responsible. Our counsel is advising me to file a formal complaint with HUD against all parties involved - in my case, Lending Tree, Home Loan Center and Sigatures Plus. I'm sure it will not be easy, but maybe because Lending Tree is so large, and HUD is hot to investigate title fraud, who knows? It will be worth it to get back at these companies that think they can get away with stiffing notaries for our hard work.

Nancy Harlan

Reply by Poppy on 6/14/06 10:06pm
Msg #126098

Nancy,

I didn't see you previous post... I'm curious are the lender and title company even aware that you're being taken advantage of?
I would think that sending a letter to SP advising them that they are in violation of RESPA and that you can file a complaint with HUD against them and their affiliates (lender and title) would be enough to convince them that it would be far less expensive to pay you than not to...

I would hope that they want to protect the relationship they have with their affiliates at all costs... JMHO! Good Luck!

Reply by BrendaTx on 6/14/06 10:11pm
Msg #126100

Re: Signatures Plus - Poppy...

Are you a man poppy or a lady poppy?

Reply by Poppy on 6/14/06 10:18pm
Msg #126101

Re: Signatures Plus - Brenda

I'm a lady poppy.... Well at least I try to be, most of the time anyway! ;-0

Reply by Nancy Harlan on 6/14/06 10:22pm
Msg #126104

Hi Poppy,

Thanks for the reply. I have already contacted Lending Tree, but have not heard back. Next is Home Loan Center, the lender used in all 9 transactions. I am also contacting HUD in my state tomorrow to get their advice on starting a claim against all 3. I suspect that LT and HLC will try and say that they disbursed the funds correctly, and that it's Signatures Plus' problem, but the lawyer I sopke with today said really all three are liable because of the RESPA violation. I've been reading a lot of notary forums, and it seems this is a common problem across many states with Signatures Plus. They also do LOTS of work with Lending Tree whom, I'm sure will not be pleased if HUD starts to investigate them. I'll keep you posted.

Nancy

Reply by Poppy on 6/14/06 10:34pm
Msg #126107

Re: Signatures Plus Nancy

I would consider holding off on going after the affiliates... You don't want to burn bridges unless you have to and even then I'd think twice.... Maybe letting the affiliates know that Signatures Plus has stiffed you and that while you're aware that starting a claim with HUD is an option for you, that is not a route you would like to take. Then suggest that they make a phone call on your behalf to SP....

Reply by Missy_Lulu on 6/15/06 12:12am
Msg #126118

Re: Signatures Plus Nancy

I contacted the title company when SOX owed me some money. A while back I took a signing, mini one from Signature Plus and then I remembered hearing about them. Since I accepted I decided I would follow through with it. It is in my 31-60 now and I've left two message for someone in a/p to call me to verify that it is in for payment and give me status of when payment might go out, so I was all nice about it but no reply. Tomorrow the calls get made to the title company. When I did that with SOX I let the TC know I understood they couldn't pay me if they already paid the ss but wanted to make them aware of the non-payment and if they would have someone they could contact to try to put a little push I would sure appreciate it. I had payment within a week, less I think. I'm sure going to give this tactic a try with SP. I'll let you know if it does any good.

Reply by Ndwa on 6/15/06 4:30am
Msg #126128

Re: Signatures Plus...Conspiracy

Just think about it, how can LT & HLC gulp all the no pay complaints from notaries and still shelter/feed SP like their own child? There must exist a blood line or some kind of bridge/connection between them for this nonpayment issue to continue. It'd be interesting to see the tide turned from your actions.

Reply by DogmongerCA on 6/14/06 11:26pm
Msg #126115

Just my opinion, but unless you are listed on the HUD

you don't have a leg to stand on. More than likely, Signature Plus, was listed and they were paid. Keep on them, do a search for demand letters, make sure they know that you will take them to small claims court if needed, and will not hesitate to supeona the borrowers, the lender and the title company. After you get paid, make sure you keep a list of those who pay and those who don't. Best of luck

Reply by Stamper_WI on 6/15/06 7:33am
Msg #126137

Had this converstion last week

See post 124399. PAW's post was right on. There is a lot of outsourcing between SS's but the HUD shows that all payouts are being made to all affiliates and vendors. The TC has no control over the disbursments after they have made those payouts. They do have control over who they use for these services however.

The ss need to see that non payment to their notaries reflects on how they do business. Not just towards their notaries but to their clients (TC's) as well. When you consider the liabilities at stake and the fact that the SS is a subcontractor to the transaction (they are representative of the quality of the service of the TC and answeable in the chain of service) it brings up all kinds of possible liabilities if the loan was ever called into question.

An example: You are building a house and hire a contractor. He hires subcontracters to perform various jobs ( plumbing, electrical sheetrocking etc). You have paid the contractor for this work (out of pocket or through a construction loan) and the contractor is supposed to pay the subcontractor's. He pockets the money and does not pay them. They can file a lien on the property. (You see this affidavit in a loan package all the time from the TC. They want to know if any liens could have been filed in that gap between the time they did their title search and when the loan is recorded). That debt is back on the owner even though he/she has paid for the work. It's a lien on the property, a liability on the mortgaged property which was not considered in the evaluation by the lender during the credit check and on and on.

We can't file liens on the property. We were hired by a sub-contractor. We can take them to small claims ( and have a small claims filed against them) & complain to the BB. Our issue is not with the owner of the property or the TC's. But the TC's do have leverage with the SS's because they pay the ss's for our service's. As PAW said, the TC's are in compliance with RESPA when they do the payouts.

Do a search on RESPA in the forum. It has come up many times.

Reply by DogmongerCA on 6/15/06 8:20am
Msg #126138

Isn't that what I just said without all the wordiness??? NM

NM

Reply by Stamper_WI on 6/15/06 9:39am
Msg #126147

Yes Dogmonger

As I said, it's been brought up before. But sometimes more detail and background is wanted or talked out by others.
its an ongoing conversation about non payment and sometimes the search button doesn't have all the answers.

SOX and Signitures Plus (aka Yo Yo and boomerrang)........ they keep coming back.

Reply by DogmongerCA on 6/15/06 10:09am
Msg #126153

Not to be too critical of the original poster

But.......


1. How can you, even if you are knew, ignore the wealth of negative information about SOX or Signature Plus or whatever they are calling themselves

2. Once you start working for a company and come to the realization that they are not paying. Why keep working for them????????? I believe this poster said they had 10 outstanding invoices if I remember correctly from their original post....

Reply by Wendy Boorsma on 6/15/06 7:15am
Msg #126135

Good luck in pursuing this issue. I did a couple of closings for Signatures Plus, one in January and 1 February. It took 4 months to get paid. When payment finally received, the check bounced. I contacted BBB in Southern California and consumer affairs in Southern California.
I would strongly suggest you do the same. I did receive another check (including NSF charges) from them 1 week later. If this one bounces I will be contacting the District Attorneys office. Keep the notaries out there informed on any progress you make.

Reply by Marie Kyker on 6/15/06 11:00am
Msg #126160

I am owed 2 checks and I finally just called Home Loan Centers. They were only aware of 1 other notary that wasn't paid. I received an e-mail 2 days later from Signatures Plus stating my check was issued. I will wait until next week and if I don't receive them I will call Home Loan Center again. Home Loan Center was very helpful and I feel that they will put the heat on Signatures Plus to get those checks out if everyone let's them know that they were not paid.

Reply by Joan_OH on 6/15/06 1:48pm
Msg #126185

Oh PULLLEEEAASSEEE!

"They were only aware of 1 other notary that wasn't paid" .....and you believed them? Do you really think that over the years they've only had one complaint?

I did one for this outfit 2 years ago and it was a Home Loan equity line. It took 6 months to pay me. Don't believe Home Loan for one minute that you were only the second complaint. That is total BS. As someone else said here, there must be some relation between the 2 or Signatures Plus schedules cheap enough that Home Loan just doesn't care.

In 3 years, I've been stiffed 5 times. Four of those times were different signing services, but the SAME title company. The title company was VERY helpful and VERY nice when I called. Even showed me proof they paid the signing services. That still didn't get me paid. Some companies just choose crappy, cheap, signing services. By the way, this same title company just emailed everyone a contract stating $50 + $10 for edocs. Now they are going even cheaper by cutting out the crappy signing services they have always used. Give me a break.

Just my Not so Humble Opinion.

Joan_OH

Reply by Christine Eyres on 6/15/06 1:47pm
Msg #126184

Wow I was so surprised when looked into the forum today (first time) to see about signature plus. I thought it was just me (glad to know I don't have to take it so personal). They don't owe me alot of money just $150.00 but it's just the point. I feel like I got suckered by them. I am trying to collect on signing's that I did in April 2006. How many times do I need to bug them?

Has anyone tried calling them? I don't live far from their office I emailed them twice today. On my first email I just put everyone on there that I had any contact with.

The second email I put an employee from home loan center that I use to work with at Ditech.com. Maybe that will rattle so cages I doubt it, but I will keep my fingers crossed.

Reply by BetsyMI on 6/15/06 2:02pm
Msg #126189

Christine, if you live not far from their office, you really should stop by. I would think that would be embarrassing for them. Insist that you can wait for your check no matter how long it will take....LOL.

Reply by Christine Eyres on 6/15/06 4:21pm
Msg #126205

I know I should go there! I think I would be embarrassed for myself. "Hi I'm here to get my $145.00 from April!" I am going to Costco tomorrow so I will go by there tomorrow and see what's up with them. Are they really affliated with SOX?

Reply by JL/Ca on 6/15/06 4:44pm
Msg #126206

I'm tempted to go w/ you Christine! Aren't they located in Irvine?

Reply by Christine Eyres on 6/15/06 5:01pm
Msg #126211

Yeah they are! about 10 miles from my house.

Reply by Christine Ortiz on 5/4/07 6:38pm
Msg #188888

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