Hello, I am a newer notary signing agent, so still relatively new to the travelling around last minute docs thing. I just had an experience with a signing that did not happen and am curious how more experienced travelling notaries handle it.
I took a signing offer from Coast 2 Coast. They had advertised it several times for a cashout signing which needs to occur in an attorneys office or title companys office in Texas. The fee was originally too low for me and I used the app to counter for a higher fee. I did not expect to hear from them again.
They contacted me via my phone an hour or so later and asked if I would still do it. I told them to let me check and make sure I had a location available (I had to lock in the office time). I was able to do it. So all seemed set.
The signing was to take place next morning at 10am. At 8 I still had not docs (this i was expecting). I made an inquiry. By 9 (1 hour to signing) still no docs. I inquired again. Then again at 930am just 30 mins before no docs still. Then other people started chiming in on snapdocs as to an ETA on docs.
To make the story shorter. I did show up at 10 am at the attorneys office. No Docs, No signer. But I wanted to preserve my reputation with the attorney for future signings and make contact. I waited until 1030 I left the office. I had been updating status frequently on snapdocs.
An hour after the appointment they sent an email telling me I was TBD on the signing. They did not ask my availability, much less keep in touch with me about status. Unfortunately my time has other obligations and it was well after the appointment time now. I informed them they would have to find another notary and they removed me from the assigment.
I know that there are times we will be down to the wire on docs, happened yesterday but that signing company was very forthcoming and kept in great contact with me and we made it happen.
My questions is simple, what do yawl do when they pass the appointment time but expect you to still be waiting on them for docs and be on hand for them?"
For openers, without docs, I wouldnât have made the trip. As to TBD, hey, if thatâs all Iâve got on my plate that day, Iâd play along. However, with other obligations, you have no choice but to let them know ASAP âhow late is too lateâ and put the ball in their court.
In Texas it is required to conduct a cash out in an attorneys office or a title office. It is becoming extremely difficult to do that as they are viewing the liability and some even consider it stealing there business. Maintaining the relationship with the ONE attorney I know who allows it in Ector county is why I made the trip. I start wasting his time and I loose the ability to do cash outs. One title company wanted 350 for the hour use of their space. They know why you are asking and are either outright refusing or charging normal rates as if they were conducting a closing.
Under your circumstances, i understand. BUTâŠwasnât your attorneyâs time wasted anyway? After this terrible experience, Iâd arrange some âcontingency planâ with the attorney, so neither of you are wasting time/gas/whatever on a no-go situation that was not handled well by hiring party.
I always let contracting companies know that I must have documents 2 hours prior to the scheduled closing time to be on time. Hereâs what I do:
2 1/2 - 3 hours before the signing if I donât have documents I send the contracting company an email saying something like âHello all! I just wanted to let you know that I must have the documents by X:XX (two hours before the closing) to ensure that I am on time for the scheduled closing at X:XX.â
By doing this I am not saying that I wonât do the signing, but I am giving them a cut off time that HAS to be met for me to be on time. Depending on my schedule I may or may not do the signing if I get the documents past my two hour cut off. I DO NOT sit around worrying about documents or the signing. I will contact the signer at the 2 hour mark and let them know that since I donât have the documents that I probably will not be on time for the signing. I ask the signer what their later availability is and Iet them know that I will contact them again once I have the documents in hand and can give them a firm meeting time. I let them know that if they want to know why I do not have the documents they need to contact their lender.
In this instance, since there was a scheduled attorneyâs office I would have also contacted the office at 2 hours prior to the signing and let them know that I wasnât going to need the office at the scheduled time and see if they had any later availability.
While it usually doesnât take me two hours to print and drive to a location I absolutely donât rush just because a company sends me documents at the last minute. If I rush and make a mistake I will have to pay to correct that mistake on my time and on my dime, they wonât care that they sent me documents at the last minute. Poor planning on someone elseâs part does not constitute an emergency on my part.
I donât go back and forth with the contracting company, I donât go back and forth with the signers. I donât let any part of the situation worry me or stress me out, I donât try to be a superhero and figure out some magical way to make the signing work. If the lender and the title company didnât care enough to get the documents out on time why should I worry?
And one last thing, I no longer do Texas Home Equity loans unless the contracting company, title company or lender sets up the location. It is way too much of a hassle to schedule an office partly due to situations like the one you went through. I also donât like paying for the office and then having to wait 30 or more days for the contracting company to âpay me back.â Again, if they want their loan closed they will find a place for it to close.
Most will say that they expect you to be available to close if you receive the docs 2 hrs before the signing. I donât feel obligated if I do not have docs. I just let them know that I cannot wait for docs, I have other obligations. Just told two yesterday and I pulled out. I cannot be late for someone that gets me docs for someone that does not. That simple.
They both rescheduled and called me back to complete them.
You did a great job! You were professional, you did excellent follow up in your attempts to get the documents and be able to complete the order, and you remained in close contact with all parties throughout the situation.
Going to the attorneyâs office was wise of you. Relationships with industry partners are valuable beyond the signing fee, and you recognize that.
I would have done exactly as you did at every step.
As for what to do when the signing company attempts to take over your schedule by changing an assignment TBD at the last minute - I cordially decline. My schedule is sacrosanct. I do not allow anyone to force last minute changes to it. That way leads to confusion, mistakes, and signing errors.
It was Coast 2 Coast; what do you expect? Do you vet companies before you accept work from them? If not, then please donât let anything that happens to you surprise you.
P.S. I really hope I do not sound condescending because I truly do not mean it that way. I am being sincere; especially since you are somewhat new.
