Posted by Cupguy/Ar on 7/5/11 9:16pm
Msg #388673

UPS Receipt

SS is requiring a receipt when I make a doc drop. Can't use the drop boxes anymore.
They are saying that with a receipt it puts responsibility on UPS and off of me. I guess
that it is a good idea but it seems like ONE more thing. If the store is busy I guess I will
have to stand around and wait my turn. If it is not busy, the guy that runs my local store
likes to talk college sports. I can plan on being there 15 to 20 minutes. Thank goodness
other customers come in and will bail me out.

Reply by SouthernOK on 7/5/11 9:32pm
Msg #388674

Make a business deal with your store, I did

My UPS store gives me work, yes they tell callers to contact me about notary work and they have 2 employees that have notary commissions. They just give out my cards and refer jobs to me. I in return use them to drop all my packages (personal use too.) The best benefit is that I get priority when I walk in the door, I don't stand in line. They know all I need is a simple confirmation of drop and I'm out, no details, no drama and no payment issues. Bottom line my business gives them business, period.

So sometimes you might talk sports but make sure they know you can give them all your business if they give you a jump in-line. The more you sign, the more they ship.

It never hurts to ask!

Reply by Claudine Osborne on 7/5/11 9:54pm
Msg #388676

Re: Make a business deal with your store, I did

I have an issue with not using drop boxes anymore. I live in a rural area. There is 1 UPS store in a 3 county area! We have drop boxes and they are far and few between, my town has a local merchant that is a UPS drop off, but they charge $3.00 per package even with a prepaid lable. There are 2 FEd Ex locations and they are 20 miles away or more depending on where Im meeting bos! So what are we supposed to do?

Do the hiring companies want me to drive 30-45 miles out of my way to drop these off?

Reply by SouthernOK on 7/5/11 10:02pm
Msg #388679

Make sure your fee schedule reflects this situation

If they want it they can pay for the extra miles and extra fees from the drop locations.

Explain, explain and explain again. Rural America is another world for most of these SS companies.

I explain about the BO having to "come to town" to shop, thus being able to meet me locally and the SS's are shocked when the BO agrees. Then without asking for an address, know exactly where the location is by name alone. Makes me not miss the big city, unless I need to shop.

Reply by ikando on 7/5/11 10:14pm
Msg #388683

Re: Make sure your fee schedule reflects this situation

SouthernOK, where are you? I'm in the Tulsa area, and envision you near Beaver's Bend. You don't have a link to your profile, or I'd check there.

Reply by SouthernOK on 7/6/11 9:26am
Msg #388718

Re: Make sure your fee schedule reflects this situation

I'm in the lovely town of Ardmore.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 7/6/11 10:12am
Msg #388722

Re: Make sure your fee schedule reflects this situation

When I had my photography company we used to visit Ardmore once ever year or two to photograph at a local church (fundraising event). My guess is that the SS companies really do not know just how rural your area is.

I would explain the situation and offer fees that you feel are fair to cover what they want. If they are not willing to pay, let them find someone else (who will probably stop after the first assignment because they didn't charge enough). If they come back to you, my guess is that they will either pay you what you want for the service or they will accept other arrangements.

Good luck with your negotiations.

Reply by SouthernOK on 7/6/11 1:40pm
Msg #388761

linked n/m

Reply by Doris_CO on 7/5/11 10:32pm
Msg #388684

Not all stores that accept UPS shipments will give you a receipt. Check if your location will give you one. If not, maybe you can have them sign the copy of the shipping bill that you keep.

Reply by MichiganAl on 7/6/11 12:59am
Msg #388691

The SS is LSI. And I hope they understand...

1. We're not always close to a UPS store &
2. UPS boxes allow a later drop off. Many of the stores here close at 5:30 or 6, while drop boxes are available later.

So if the idea behind their latest rule is to get packages on time, they might not get the intended result.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/6/11 5:17am
Msg #388699

Re: UPS Receipt...sounds like LSI is having some

problems with the contractors they're using - lost packages; non-borrowers at the closing; forwarding of loan docs to others; third party involvement.

Reply by NCLisa on 7/6/11 7:10am
Msg #388703

Re: UPS Receipt...sounds like LSI is having some

I don't know how many times I've told them the borrower wants to see the hud, and I'm told by an LSI employee to email it to the borrower. I don't, not my job, but they need to reign in their own employees before they continue to blame the contractors for all their problems.

Most of these closings are in the borrowers homes, there are usually lots of "non-borrowers" around as in their kids, their kids friends, neighbors, etc. If the borrower has people there when they know I'm coming, not my problem!

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/6/11 7:29am
Msg #388704

Re: UPS Receipt...sounds like LSI is having some

The e-mail specifically says, in part:

"A few quick reminders:

Ø Do not forward loan documents sent to you by LSI to anyone, including the borrower or lender, via email or via postal service. The loan documents are to be printed and hand-carried by you to the loan closing.

Ø Loan documents should remain in your possession. Do not leave them unattended at any time.

Ø If the closing occurs in a bank branch, do not hand loan documents to another party for copy or fax unless that party has express rights and permissions regarding that transaction. ~~~Also, do not allow non-borrowing parties to attend a closing without express permission from the borrower(s).~~~

Ø When providing a second set of copies to the borrower, do not hand them to a third party for transport.

Ø After signing, do not drop the loan documents to a “drop box” without prior consent from LSI. This is an exception process allowance only.

Ø Do not drop loan documents to a UPS store, Fedex/Kinkos, or any general express mail service store without a written receipt including tracking number from that merchant."

Goes on to state how to handle issues with obtaining a receipt from the courier facility. You CAN use a drop box but it's by approval on a case-by-case basis.

Note the text between ~~~ and ~~~ - they do say "without borrower's consent", but I think here they're probably addressing those who may take ride-alongs and company with them to the closing - they must have run into some issues in this area, but that's just my guess.

MHO

Reply by NCLisa on 7/6/11 8:02am
Msg #388708

Bank Branches

As for the bank branches: I've never been to a bank branch that would allow me to make copies. Always a bank employee has had to do that. So I guess if we need a copy of something in the package due to a correction or copied for some reason, we just don't do it, and send a note back to title (which will get thrown away and without the info being input into the computer) that we could not get that copied because the bank employee did not have express rights or permissions regarding the transaction.

So at what point are we employees or independent contractors?

Reply by NCLisa on 7/6/11 8:08am
Msg #388710

Independent Contractors

You are not an independent contractor if you perform services that can be controlled by an employer (what will be done and how it will be done). This applies even if you are given freedom of action. What matters is that the employer has the legal right to control the details of how the services are performed.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 7/6/11 10:16am
Msg #388723

Good point n/m

Reply by Notarysigner on 7/6/11 10:24am
Msg #388724

Re: Independent Contractors IRS makes that determination

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc762.html

Reply by NCLisa on 7/7/11 10:40am
Msg #388893

Re: Independent Contractors IRS makes that determination

I took mine directly from the IRS website.

Reply by BossLadyMD on 7/6/11 9:35am
Msg #388720

Employee VS Independent Contractor??

LSI is skating on thin ice......

Reply by A S Johnson on 7/6/11 10:25am
Msg #388725

UPS drop off locations are or are not paid for accepting drop offs based on thier contract with UPS. The ones who recieve compsenation get from 80 cents to $1.10 (for The UPS Store), for drop offs. If you think we as signing agents are not paid properly, what do think 80 cents covers for your the time to go into the computer program to print you a reciept. How much do you think we lose?
As a mail and package center, I am NOT a employee of nor am I being paid by LSI or other company.
The tracking # is your reciept.
Be it known, I am NOT given a reciept by the UPS driver (FedEx drivers do NOT give reciepts either). My contract with UPS says that I am not required to give a reciept. My insurance carrier will not honor a claim on drop offs, in casr of a package of docs the only claim is for the cost billed for shipping.
After 12 years as a NSA, I have never had a loan package lost by any of the carriers.
Yes, in my mail and parcel store, I have had lost shipments but it was when I was given bad information or heaven forbid I fat fingured that info into the computer and no check the label.
Lost packages can happen, Yes, but with pre printed label?
If you hand write a shipping waybill, and if you are concern you might get billed for the shipment so you use the ship to addres as the from address you can have a problem if you make the same mistake in both areas and they can't return it to you.

Reply by Moneyman/TX on 7/6/11 1:29pm
Msg #388758

"Lost packages can happen, Yes, but with pre printed label?"

That's the first thing I thought of. They print the label and after it has been entered into the system of the shipping company they have had issues with "lost" packages?

Something is not quite right with this whole thing IMO. The email starts off with "Over the last few weeks there has been an increase of lost or misplaced LSI loan packages shipped via overnight courier services." Then the FIRST * reminder * LSI gives is not to send the docs via email???

What does sending the docs via email have to do with lost overnight packages?

Extra services requested in any other industry means additional charges. Why should this be any different?

Reply by ReneeK_MI on 7/6/11 4:03pm
Msg #388784

Re: "Lost packages can happen, Yes, but with pre printed label?"

Yes, a pkg with a pre-printed label can be lost - doesn't happen often, but is certainly possible.

I believe their e-mail wasn't about a single issue of lost pkgs, but multiple issues. The e-mailing of docs being just another issue.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/6/11 4:48pm
Msg #388792

That was the impression I got

Especially when it went on to say "Don't forward pkgs via e-mail to borrowers - must be hand-delivered" and "No Non-Borrowers allowed without consent of the Borrower"

The e-mail addressed several issues in a way that told me they were having significant issues with some vendors...

Reply by lindetteh_PA on 7/6/11 6:34pm
Msg #388808

Re: That was the impression I got

First thing I thought when I read the email was Signing Agents were probably emailing the borrowers the docs instead of printing their copies. As far as dropping the package off and getting a receipt how does that prevent them from getting lost. I think they must be having problems with notaries not dropping them in time and claiming that they did.

Reply by Lee/AR on 7/6/11 6:40pm
Msg #388810

Re: That was the impression I got

They are dropping fees and apparently finding a few who will accept next-to-nothing and then they are getting what they paid for and crying about it. My heart just breaks for them~~

Reply by CopperheadVA on 7/6/11 6:53pm
Msg #388812

That's exactly what I was thinking!

They are only willing to pay my rock-bottom-fee-that-I-will-accept and I keep it to my zip code due to the lower fee. I do not travel and deal with traffic for what they pay. And I know that they pay some notaries even less and yes at some point you get what you pay for and you must deal with the consequences.

Reply by jac_il on 7/7/11 11:37am
Msg #388905

have them pick up from your home!

I have UPS and FEDX pick up documents from my home. I tell them I need a receipt and they give me one. I live in Chicago and the (strangely) is not a UPS or FEDX location anywhere near me. It would be a good 15 min drive each way and they close at 6pm. The drop boxes here pick up until 8:30pm. Guess they will just have to wait to get their documents then. Doesn't anyone else have their docs picked up at their home?

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 7/7/11 12:49pm
Msg #388927

They won't pick up from me here...

companies have tried and failed to be able to schedule pickup from my location...