Posted by Patti Corcoran on 10/31/11 5:14pm
Msg #402299

195 pages, 2 sets, no extra fee?

Agreed to a signining for this afternoon & confirmed with the borrowers. Docs already here, I open and begin to print and there are 190 pages and FAX backs. I immediately email (reply all) and let them know that I can not complete this on my regular fee. I hear nothing back. Two hours later, I telephone, I am put through to a voice mail and I leave my message. Two hours later I still have not heard anything so I call a second time and I am put on hold for 5 full minutes. I hang up. The last thing that I do is email them again (also "priority") and tell them that since I have not heard from anyone, I will consider this signing cancelled.
I presume that they have found another notary who is willing to be taken advantage of. So sad, this level on non-professionalism. P.S. It is a good company that I enjoy working with.

Reply by LKT/CA on 10/31/11 5:38pm
Msg #402301

When I quote my fee to the scheduler, I say, "For this type of signing, it will be $XXX and that fee is for X number of pages, no fax backs and within X number of miles". One time I just accepted that they met my fee without asking any further questions. Ended up with a 250 page FHA loan (thankfully no fax backs and within my mileage range) - used a whole ream of legal paper. I learned my lesson after that.

These days, the companies don't volunteer much information. I make it a point to ask and if the scheduler says they "don't know" then I provide a fee schedule.

Reply by Notarysigner on 10/31/11 5:54pm
Msg #402305

Same here and I include, "is there anything else I should know about this package?"

Reply by Frank/NC on 10/31/11 5:45pm
Msg #402302

My thoughts are that this is a good company and you enjoy working for them. I realize that what you are saying is quite valid. There is a possibility that the scheduler who called was unaware of the package size or faxbacks. There also is a possibility of a couple of other scenarios in that they did not get your messages and are now hung up for the closing or, for that matter, the scheduler did know of the package size. It just may not be a case of being unprofessional on their part. I think that there are times that we have to just suck it up and go on to the next closing rather than risk losing what you describe as a good customer.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 10/31/11 5:48pm
Msg #402303

Although I agree with you for the most part, Frank

There's no way I'd just "suck up" 195 pages X2 for my standard fee...if they were that good a company who likes my work and likes the job I do , they won't have a problem paying me extra for printing an excessively large package.

JMO

Reply by Frank/NC on 10/31/11 5:52pm
Msg #402304

Re: Although I agree with you for the most part, Frank

Linda I also see your point but you have to weigh $50-75 extra against the possibility of getting that money back in the future by keeping the customer or perhaps losing it all. Also agree that it is difficult to just, "suck it up".

Reply by CopperheadVA on 10/31/11 6:56pm
Msg #402317

I sucked it up once....

for National Vendor Solutions. When I opened the docs I discovered it was a 175 page package with POA. I completed the closing (2 hours!!!) and told them on my closing confirmation call that I could not do this size package in the future, and with POA, for my regular fee. They never called me again.

Reply by MW/VA on 10/31/11 7:22pm
Msg #402320

Re: I sucked it up once....

Yes, I was never paid a print fee for a signing that the borrowers cancelled with the LO but I was never told. I also never heard from them again. Just as well, as I didn't like the way they did business. :-(

Reply by HisHughness on 10/31/11 6:06pm
Msg #402306

A signing service may not know the size of the packet at the time they hire you. Nor does a title company know the size of the lender's packet. What each does know, though, is what a typical packet looks like, and if the one they're sending is one of those bloated mega-packets, then they should expect and should be prepared to pay for that.

Regardless of whether there has been a specification in advance.

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 10/31/11 6:27pm
Msg #402309

Size matters ....

I agree with everything everybody else has said - so I'm no help at all. However, my approach to this is that when these hiring agencies call with teeny-tiny packages or single GDs, I don't cut them a break no matter how much they whine about how little printing I have to do, how close the signers, are, how little time it will take, etc. etc. I just remind them that I don't charge extra for mega packages and I don't take chicken-scratch fees for small ones. Most of the time it works, sometimes not. This way I don't have to tax my little brain trying to remember how big/how little previous packages were.

I have noticed that the size of loan packages seems to vary regionally. Judging by what I've read on NR, what constitutes a huge pkg in Indiana, for example, is not all that unusual for CA. 195 pages is pretty grande - but not enough to start me gasping. I see 170-185 pages routinely.

Reply by Alz on 10/31/11 9:52pm
Msg #402337

One size does not fit all. It sounds like we all are

agreeing to disagree. I'm sure everyone's decision is based on their business model and practices. What works for one make not work for another, which is why I enjoy reading the various perspectives.

Reply by Kendall Challenger on 10/31/11 6:55pm
Msg #402315

I can see how this could be pretty upsetting to anyone at first glance. Did you scroll through and review all the documents to see what it contained? I believe there was a post just last week about a very similar situation before the notary realized that the attachment included 2 sets of the same documents because it included the borrowers copies as well.

Reply by Notarysigner on 11/1/11 7:55am
Msg #402360

TRG Docs are like that look at them closely Sec 3 is

borrowers copies, only need to print once.

Reply by Lisa_MA on 11/1/11 2:10pm
Msg #402404

Yes!! Look at them closely...

I just had one yesterday that was 213 pages. I assumed it might be 2 copies of the same docs, but it turned out to include tax returns. The lender had sent the wrong attachment altogether. BTW, thanks to all of you for great insights. I wished I looked here months ago!

Reply by Patti Corcoran on 11/1/11 4:08pm
Msg #402412

Re: sorry my reply is so late . . .

It was only 1 set of docs but it included all of the appraisal docs and was VA. Since then I have had a long discussion witht his firm and all that I can do is either accept what they offer me knowing that sometimes the package will be smaller and close by. I'm still mulling it over. Thank you everyone for your imput.

Reply by Notarysigner on 11/1/11 4:27pm
Msg #402415

V A packages are generally a lot larger IMO n/m