Posted by Nicole Clement ClementClosingServices on 5/9/07 5:51am
Msg #189488

Pro Link

Has anyone had any luck getting paid? I did a job in December, fax doesn't work, and I get no return calls... this is Vera Hayes and Veda Chapman. I assume they are shut down. Has anyone tried to collect payments, if so, please shed some light.

Reply by Yvonne Antreasyan on 5/9/07 8:43am
Msg #189496

Pro Link

Vera and Veda owe me money too, since last November, for the signing I did for them in October. The same with me no luck at all.

Reply by PE on 5/9/07 9:08am
Msg #189501

I turned them over to collections but so far no luck.

Reply by Loretta Reed on 5/9/07 10:46am
Msg #189513

Hey Nicole, get your copy of the hud and call the title company or the lender. See if that works, they may know just where these leeches are.

Reply by PE on 5/9/07 11:20am
Msg #189517

Title told me they paid Vera is was my responsiblity to collect from her. they aslo said they have a file of all the notaries not paid by her, but she was not even returning their calls. "Sorry we cant help you we paid them"

Reply by Terri_CA on 5/9/07 11:55am
Msg #189523

It's unfortunate that you're not being paid, but advising the Title Company lets them (the title company/escrow company etc.) know who NOT to call in the future.

Reply by Kevin/Ct on 5/9/07 12:35pm
Msg #189533

I am pursuing collection now against another ss that appears to have disappeared. I notified both the title company and the lender that I expected payment. The title company tried to give me the same dog and pony show that you described.

I then told them that I had an attorney's lien on the file which traveled with the file and extended to all proceeds received by both the title company and lender as a result of my work. The lien arises by operation of common law in Connecticut, and does not come off until payment is made.

They tried to argue the usual nonsense about the HUD 1. They never stopped to consider that there are encumbrances which go beyond the HUD 1. I told them that I plan to garnish the monthly mortgage payments made by the borrower. They suddenly got very serious about the conversation

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/9/07 2:12pm
Msg #189556

Kevin/Ct, is there such a thing as a Notarial Lien???

That's what we need, is a Notarial Lien that travels with the file. I tried googling it but only came up with a Vendor's Lien, which did not seem to fit the bill.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 5/9/07 2:18pm
Msg #189559

Or maybe that should be Notary's Lien? n/m

Reply by Kevin/Ct on 5/9/07 3:46pm
Msg #189566

Re: Or maybe that should be Notary's Lien?

Some states have enacted legislation to provide lien rights on real estate for work performed by appraisers and abstractors. Check to see if yours state has any such legislation for signing agents. If not, you might want to think about approaching one of your state legislators about sponsoring such legislation...as we used to say in Brooklyn...couldn't hoit.

Reply by Nicole Clement ClementClosingServices on 5/9/07 4:09pm
Msg #189569

Re: Or maybe that should be Notary's Lien?

Thanks to all for your insight. I will look into many of your ideas.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 5/9/07 7:17pm
Msg #189590

Here's the address I have for her:

Vera Hayes
20647 Henry St
Brownstown, MI 48183

I did one job for her in November and was paid within 30 days, but I remember having a problem trying to fax an invoice - kept getting a message that the mailbox was full. I emailed her and she told me to send the invoice to that address. Have not heard from her since - maybe I got lucky and invoiced her just before the business imploded....

Good luck!

Reply by Eric Pullum on 5/9/07 8:04pm
Msg #189596

I sent her a certified demand letter to that address, it was returned undeliverable out of business. Does any one have a copy of a check they received, I would like to see if the bank account is still valid and get a judgement to garnish if funds were available.