Posted by DM_FL on 3/28/06 9:45am
Msg #109034

What's Fair??? (Very long vent)

A SS asked me to do a signing. The company is usually straightforward and easy to work with. When I accepted the signing, I was told that it was out of town, so I quoted my fee accordingly--$115 total for edocs 45 miles away. This is low considering the distance but when the SS called, I assumed the city I was given was correct--only 20-25 miles away. When I checked Mapquest, I found that it was actually way out in the suburbs outside the city limits.

The main trouble started when I got the confirmation and found that it was a split package. OK, I decided to eat it since I didn't ask. I work with this company consistently every month and haven't had a split package from them for at least 4 months. Additionally, the title company info wasn't listed on the confirmation. With this title company, I know what to expect.

The appointment was set for Friday but rescheduled at the last minute--2 hours before--and I had already turned down another signing for the same time. Fortunately, another came along.

The rescheduled appointment was now for Monday--no problem. The SS called me 4 hours before the signing to let me know that it would be a 1st and a 2nd instead of a single. At this point, I asked if it was a split package too. SS said that it was but that they would be going to the same place and she could pay $50 for the second. Before you start telling me how stupid I had to be to accept it, don't waste your time. I already know this.

So the entire fee was $165 for a piggyback with e-docs 45 miles away. This fee--in my opinion--was dirt cheap. I can't complain because I didn't set negotiate my fee accordingly when I accepted the assignment, however, there is a limit to my stupidity/generosity. The docs were late of course. Between the 2 packages, there were 25 notarizations. The actual signing took 2 hours, and the drive time was about 1 hour 45 minutes--all for the exhorbitant fee of $165.

Now this is the kicker. As I'm splitting the package to send it back this morning, I find that I have to make copies of certain docs--46 pages for the first and 38 pages for the second. At this point, I'm thoroughly disgusted. I was not told that there would be copying involved, so I called the SS and let them know that I was charging a $15 copy fee per package.

The SS was livid. I explained my grievances and was told that "I" wasn't being fair and that if I weren't going to be fair with them that they couldn't be fair with me. SS said to me, "So, you're going to charge me $195 for a first and a second?"

Am I the villain here? I'm having to copy an extra 84 pages that I wasn't informed about. I will be paid the $195, but my reason for posting is to get "constructive" feedback. Should I have handled this differently/better after learning of the copying? This is not a case of holding the docs hostage. I never intimated that I would do that. TIA

Reply by Shane_OH on 3/28/06 9:50am
Msg #109040

Give the SS the opportunity to accept the $165, and not have you copy the docs, since they were not forthcoming in the information that docs needed to be copied other than the bwr copy. It would probably save your relationship with the SS, and let them know you are being reasonable.

My question is why do they need docs copied after the signing? The Title Company should be able to handle copying docs that have already been signed. I have never heard of that, but that of course doesn't mean it doesn't happen lol.

Just my humble opinion.

Reply by Anonymous on 3/28/06 9:51am
Msg #109042

DM,

I had one of these a bit ago. Split package...fax backs....copies.

I gritted my teeth and did it.

But never again.

When this title company calls again with this "deal" the answer is "NO".

Reply by TheresaCA on 3/28/06 10:19am
Msg #109050

I would just do what is asked and learn from it especially if you have a good relationship with SS.

I had one where I did not know that there was a lot of fax backs and copies needed. I don't like separating the papers then inserting it back. The loan docs were probably 50 pages so I copied the whole thing and faxed it. The ss fax machine was busy but I kept faxing until it went through. I guess my machine redialed so many times that they called me to let me know that they are receiving several faxes and if I can stop the machine. I was not home so I can't stop my machine. I got confirmations that it went through several times at least 5 times from what I remember. They asked for it. LOL

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 3/28/06 11:10am
Msg #109062

DM, whenever you get a confirmation that discloses more than what you have agreed to then you need to call them back right away. Let them know that in the assignment call you were told it was a (then tell them). Then let them know that the it's a piggyback, the location is different, and it is a split package. Let them know the original fee was appropriate for what they had said over the phone but not for what is contained in the confirmation and that an appropriate fee would be xxx (break it down). There is nothing wrong or unprofessional with charging an appropriate fee. If they want to look for someone else to rear end then let them. And when they do accept have them send you a new confirmation. In my opinion even $195 was low and that's without even finding out about the extra copies.

If they don't want to pay your fee then don't accept the assignment. So many of your headaches could have been avoided by calling as soon as you received the confirmation.

Reply by DM_FL on 3/28/06 12:27pm
Msg #109079

I understand that very well, but because this is a company that I work with regularly, I decided to bend over backwards and accept the $165 fee for the piggyback. I rarely get these type signings from this company anyway, and, I wasn't made aware that I'd have to make copies until I got the docs. That information was never on the confirmation--that's my problem. It's hard to call them right back to negotiate when you don't learn what's required until you get the docs with a separate set instructions. This appointment was confirmed 3 days before I got the docs.

The fact is that the SS knew what was involved and intentionally left that information off the confirmation. Maybe I need to re-evaluate my relationship--which may be nonexistent now--with this company. I believe that honesty is alway the best policy.

Reply by Anonymous on 3/28/06 3:18pm
Msg #109116

I am relatively new to this industry but not new to business ownership. The best advise I could possibly muster is "How much value do you put on ths SS?" If this sort of thing happens every 20th signing that you do for them so be it take the hit and move on. If you get this sort of thing on every other on!! Well it's not hard to figure out what you have to do.

Just a thought and an opinion

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 3/28/06 3:55pm
Msg #109132

Doh I don't know what was going through my mind. I got confused and thought the piggyback was mentioned in the confirmation not the reschedule. The problems with bending over backwards and accepting a less than appropriate fee are you've just shown them that they can get away with talking you down into a fee that would put you out of business if you took it on a regular basis. And when they succeed in getting one to accept it then it only motivates them to try and do it again.

Reply by Tina_MA on 3/28/06 3:59pm
Msg #109134

Please people, if you receive separate instructions with the docs, requesting additional services, call and renegotiate your fee.

If I bring my car to the shop for a brake job, and while doing that the mechanic finds that the ball bearings need to be replaced, he calls to find out whether or not I want to do something about that, and will tell me what the *additional* cost for that work is.

If I choose to ignore the problem, then the mechanic will only complete the original job he was hired for (brake job) and be paid the original agreed upon fee.

At no time do I tell the mechanic that he has to fix the additional problem as part of the brake job at the original agreed upon fee -- if I did, he'd laugh his butt off.

This is a business. Treat it as such. No other business allows themselves to be taken advantage of in this manner.

Reply by DM_FL on 3/28/06 9:50pm
Msg #109228

I agree 100%. Unfortunately, the docs were late and I rushed out to make the appointment without looking at the instructions for splitting and returning the package. The copying was listed under the return instructions which I didn't look at until I was ready to send the package out. As soon as I realized there was a lot of extra work involved, I called--not to negotiate but to state my fee. This company knows very well that I charge a $15 per package copy fee. They've paid it before.

Reply by MistarellaFL on 3/28/06 5:32pm
Msg #109157

Take a while to make a decision

If you have a long-standing relationship. Occasionally you'll get a bad apple, but don't let that 1/100 ruin a profitable relationship for you. Live and learn. If I were you, I'd give the company another chance. If you need to vent, wait a week or so. This job can be very stressful and at least I think I are better equipped to deal with a passionate problem after I have had time to weigh the pro's and con's before I turn a company loose. In my experience, this type error is usually a miscommunication from the beginning.

Reply by DM_FL on 3/28/06 9:43pm
Msg #109224

Re: Take a while to make a decision

Thanks for the advice, but there was no miscommunication. There was an intentional lack of communication. The SS said, "because you didn't ask which title company, you're going to make me pay?" The SS knew very well all that was entailed and tried to make me feel as if it were my fault for not asking if there would be copying involved--even though it wasn't listed on the confirmation.