Posted by J M Shannon on 4/13/08 4:47pm
Msg #243362

Is there a "bad notary list"?

I am just curious. We as notaries have access to list of companies that are slow paying or non paying. Just wondering if these companies have access to a list of notaries that they feel aren't the best. I always triple check my work and take great pride in the work I do. But since this whole thing happened with National TitleNet, LLC just replacing me without any notice has got me wondering. I have never had a company indicate they were unhappy with my work so I am at a total loss why this company did this.

Reply by LKT/CA on 4/13/08 6:06pm
Msg #243369

Many SS's and TC's are lowering their fees and dumping their regulars for $50 Notaries....that seems to be happening a lot lately. Maybe that's why you were replaced.

Reply by Blueink_CA on 4/13/08 6:33pm
Msg #243372

Very true LKT. My number of signings increased every year, however my annual income did not. Even some of my best clients dumped me when I wouldn't lower my fee (to an insulting amount).

Reply by J M Shannon on 4/13/08 6:44pm
Msg #243373

Didn't they let you know that they were replacing you? This company made the offer to pay me the $100. I didn't dispute them on the amount and just accepted it. I got the confirmation email for this amount and the next email was the one saying ....Sorry we found another notary. I am still annoyed that they had me wait all day for docs they had no intention of sending to me.

Reply by Mike/AZ on 4/13/08 7:07pm
Msg #243375

A similar thing happened to me earlier this month. I did an emergency Countrywide loan for a signing company who surprisingly met the fee that I usually charge title companies. There were various complications with the loan package: incorrect dates in both the borrower's sections and the notary sections, borrower's names mispelled, and such. Borrower had the docs so I didn't see any of this until I showed up for the signing. No one was available to confirm exactly how they wanted these errors corrected, so I used the best procedures I was aware of. The manager of the signing service called me and was very impressed with my work, telling me that most notaries wouldn't have bothered to take all the extra steps to ensure the documents were properly executed. She told me that they were moving me to the top of their list and intended to use me first for all future signings.

After sending a follow-up e-mail on the docs, she indicated that her superiors had "made changes to the signing process and are unsure how much work they would send my way," although she reiterated that the job I did was superb. My guess is that they're either about to close their doors, or maybe they found themselves a $50 notary.

I say let the signing companies get all the $50 notaries they want, and let them deal with all the hassles and frustrations that come with it. Let them deal with improperly completed notary sections and smudgy/runny notary stamps on the deed of trust. Let them deal with missed signatures, dates, and initials on critical docs. Let them wait three extra days for docs because the notary accidentally filled out a fedex ground slip.

I get clean-up job calls every so often from companies who called me, stated that my fee was too high, and ended up hiring a cheaper but "less-than-competent" notary. I'm not getting upset about $50 notaries, because companies will ultimately get what they pay for.

Reply by NM/CA on 4/13/08 10:17pm
Msg #243382

Found someone who would work cheap maybe
notaries stick to your guns regarding payment
remember if we are all consistent they have to pay us for our time, gas, paper, toner, etc.......... don't undersell yourself or the rest of us honest hardworking notaries.

Reply by Jacqueline Dyson on 4/13/08 11:13pm
Msg #243385

Just maybe...the LO requested their own preferred notary. This is happening more often since the LO pool has become smaller.

Reply by sue_pa on 4/14/08 8:05am
Msg #243392

...remember if we are all consistent they have to pay us for our time, gas, paper, toner, etc.......... don't undersell yourself or the rest of us honest hardworking notaries. ...

How do you propose getting that to work? I see fees on this board ALL the time (well actually seldom since most are afraid to post their fees) that I consider substandard. I think $150 is the MINIMUM anyone should accept for an e-doc refi. Do I work for less sometimes? Sure. How are you going to get all the 'sigining agents' out here to come up to my fee? I don't think so.

What about Tony Negrete? He has everyone high-5'ing him all the time for what a great service he is. He sure wouldn't meet my $200 fee for an e-doc reverse last week - 35/45 minute drive each way. As a matter of fact, my fee apparently was more than his. I see on one site (where he lists that he covers every county in PA) his fee is $125? How are you people who think he's so wonderful getting a decent fee out of that? I had a very nice young lady call me Saturday - she found my name here. She wanted me to do a purchase tomorrow for $125 - half of what I get from everyone else. We politely agreed we couldn't do this order together - she said she has a lsit of well qualified people to do purchases for $125 - good for them - good for her - not good for me.

I see others posting their numbers for the month and I sure am not in the same boat - I closed 74 loans in March - find your clients, work out a fee you can both live with for the work required and forget everyone else. There are companies willing to pay and pay well for good, consistent work. There are companies willing to pay very little and they accept the fact they may not be gettng the most experienced. Choose your own clients and don't worry about the ones that won't pay you what you think you're worth.

Reply by Pamela Hoyle on 4/14/08 2:06pm
Msg #243432

I know that NREIS has a 3-strikes policy, and from some of the things that Nations has hinted at, when you are contacted to do a signing and refuse for whatever reason, they log that....don't know if that answers your question....

Reply by J M Shannon on 4/14/08 5:10pm
Msg #243445

I have never worked for National TitleNet, LLC. This was the first time they contacted me to do a loan signing and the first time I have been "dumped" for no reason. I also did a search on them and found a few that had posted that they don't pay on time so maybe it was a blessing that I didn't do the job. I am sure they won't call me again. If they do I am sure I will tell them no.

Reply by Cari on 4/14/08 5:42pm
Msg #243451

I think that if I were in your situation JM Shannon, I'd

tell the TC that they breached contract. They contacted you for services, you agreed, via email, which is now used in court as evidence incidentally, but not sure what the laws are in your state, and after you & TC confirmed, the TC cancelled for what ever the reason.

I would even go as far as having a paragraph in RED BOLD that says something to the effect that your confirmation constitutes a legal binding contract and that if there are any cancellations by the TC or SS, they will be invoiced say 50% of the initial fee price?? I dunno....but I would send them a cancellation invoice anyway. But that's what I would do, I guess I have waaay toooo much time on my hands.

I'm sure it was a blessing that you didn't work them because they had a bad rep for non-payment...

So, lucky you! Hope you don't have to go thru that again.

Reply by American Freedom Assurance - Alexander Goodman on 4/15/08 10:50am
Msg #243543

Question not answered...

I do not get involved often on this site, becuase I tend to feel like a wolf at a sheep party, but I do appreciate reading all of the notary's comments becuase they give me a better perspective on the current climate, questions, and how to better treat notaries.

with that said,...I would like someone to answer her question about the Notary Bad List, since some Vendor Managers might log in and rad how awful SS's and TC's are, I think it would be too difficult to locate any comments or even a databse with not so much "Bad" notaries, but maybe ones that are not as experienced, or even have terrible attitudes and poor professionalism that would deter interviewers from even making the call?

I appreciate all of my notary's that I do business with, and I am always doing what I can to make sure that all invoices are submited and paid for,and even negotiating rates that are both fair and competitive, but there are times when I look on this site and I see all of these credentials and pictures (no only on NotRot) give a person a call hoping and expecting that they are as eager for me to contact them as they are to recieve my call, and there are some instances when I regret even speaking to them at all, or, they made too many mistakes or will unwilling to do some extra copying, faxing , and overnighting, even with added fee's!

For someone like me whom would not want to bother a notary who will not welcome my call, or is unprofessional and even attacking before I can get a word out, having such a list available would not only be beneficial for me and my time, but would also be a great place hwere current notaries could log in and see their progress and comments posted by the companies that they service, i.e. know why they are not being used anymore, or what they should know about future dealings with that company.

We should always attemot to be professional (TC and Notary) when dealing with each other's business, but when one is not, I would agree that the notary should express his/her dislike withthe TC or SS, and the TCF or SS explain or express their unsatisfaction or satisfaction with the notary as well. And if there is such a site, I would like to view so that I can be somewhat prepared for what to expect when I contact a notary--but keeping in mind that what I read is not always 100% accurate and everyone deserves a chance.

Reply by Les_CO on 4/15/08 4:25pm
Msg #243581

Re: Question not answered.../ Yes.

The answer is yes. Many SS and a few Title companies out there use a software program, that allows them to not only rate the notaries, but track how many signings they have done, and a number of other things as well.

Do a good job and people will know.