Hello Notary Family! It has been a while since I have been on here, been really busy, but I do review posts periodically. Need advice.
Had a signing service assign a signing to me today. I may be a little OCD, but that is who I am. I accepted the signing. It is for tomorrow at 1PM. So, I accepted it at approx. 11 AM today. I received the documents so, early is even better. The documents were all marked up in RED marker, crossed out second signer info throughout my notary block, put info in my notary block that I should fill out and Marked all over docs of where I am to sign and notarize and the signer where they were to sign. The paperwork was messy and unprofessional. big RED marker all over the FedEx return label that docs had to go out same day. It came from a law firm.
My question is, after emailing the signing service that I could not sign my name to those documents in that condition because I have to initial where they marked things out, I was not going to do that. If they wanted, they could send me a clean copy and I would be happy to sign them and they would be done correctly. Signing service indicated the docs were fine that the client always does that and I was to sign the marked up file as is and initial where appropriate. I told signing service I could not and that they should assign file to another notary.
Now, know this. The signing is 24 hours away. Not 4 hours, not 2 hours, not 30 minutes from now, 24 hours from the time we are communicating. She indicated she was going to reassign and mark on Signing Order that I was a BAD NOTARY and the signing was cancelled. She did just that too. She marked me a bad notary. I know this because I have friends who can see those remarks.
My question is this, would any of you notarize documents that are in such an array and then initial places where you did not mark out because they told you to? Would you slam the signing service in public forum for doing that too? Not sure how to process this. I am very upset about this as this is my reputation and my Company that is signing these documents. Not just anyone. Opinions?
Apparently, the lawyer is OCD, too. S/he does the crossouts and you do the initialing of same? All is well…until it isn’t and you’re to blame. I think I’d argue that–except how can you when you really can’t see that they said you were bad? A/K/A why platforms are BAD.
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I agree. I normally do not take signings through signing services, but i though what the heck, I am not doing anything tomorrow. Well, I argued this with Signing Order that the feedback notaries receive should be reciprocated about the signing service. They told me my only option of putting a bad review about a signing service was here.
And Notary Rotary - and FB - and any other social media site you participate in - and any other notary forums you’ve joined.
Also - naming this signing service - AND this law firm - would help
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There are groups on Facebook who you can report it to and a new website that another notary has started and you can go on and see comments about signing services as well as report certain things.
I would probably call and speak directly to someone.
People are hesitant to name the offenders for fear of reciprocation and blackballing. It really enforces the theory that you should only take business from companies that you’re familiar with, through experience or comments by others. If you really think about it, taking jobs from unknown companies that you have no idea will even pay you, is really a kind of risky way to run a business.
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Hasn’t she already done that though? She threatened to mark her as a Bad Notary and to blackball her and she did
I have to wonder if this isn’t a prime case of tortious interference - what this company has done is interfering with her reputation and her business and its success and has made moves to keep her from receiving assignments
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If a signing service doesn’t like a notary’s work or there are other issues, they don’t have to use that notary any longer. Blacklisting is NOT right, fair or justified.
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I agree, this was malicious and with ill intent. She knew this would be hazardous to my reputation and my business. Not sure how to resolve this. I cannot call her or email her, that is retaliation and I am not supposed to know remarks on SO. So, I am at a catch 22.
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You are correct, they could just never use me again. I am ok with that. She did this to harm me. It was malicious.
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Sorry this happened to you…
Pompous â– â– â– is what they are.. report them ..Name names.. call the title company. Report the lawyers to their local bar association..who must investigate ..keep copies of docs to show the bar association
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You said yourself that you’re OK if they don’t use you again. If that’s the case, why are we even talking about this? As a signing agent, we’re not here to read or judge the content of the material that we have someone sign. If things were marked through by the attorney, they can do that. Just conduct the signing with what you have.
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You can always contact the escrow company, I have in the past. You can always give the signing agency a bad mark as well if it is used by more than one signing agency. It is not a one way street. If the pages were all marked up, I wouldn’t sign either. I had a signing this last weekend, the address was funky. I was already told by one of the signers that her husband was picky, so I got ahold of the signing company and loan company and they had the paperwork changed in an hour, so everything went smoorthly.
Know your worth, and know the law.
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ALL:
I would like to stop the discussion on this matter. I have this resolved. Thanks for all the feedback.
