Would you request full payment of fee?

Would you ask for full payment? Yesterday (Monday) morning I had a 10:00 am appointment for a refi. I printed the docs Sunday night around 10pm. The docs looked great - no issues. I logged them in my log book and was ready to go for the morning. Monday morning I checked my email messages before I left at 9:30 am - no messages. Good! Drove to appt got there 8 minutes early, sat, waited, knocked on door 2 minutes early. Wonderful couple. Invited me in and said they were told I was not coming. What? (I thought). They were contacted at 9 am by their lender that the docs were incorrect because lender thought the docs were completed as an investment property versus a primary residence and so the signing needed to be cancelled. Having been prepared I knew the docs were prepared correctly in that respect - as a refi for a primary residence, so I asked if I could check with my signing agency to see if they knew about this. They offered me a seat so I could call my signing agency and asked the signing agency if they were contacted. No, they were not. I told the signing agency I was flexible and if the signing appointment could be salvaged that I was patient. The signing agency said to sit tight and they’d contact the lender to find out what the issue is and if there was some miscommunication of what the problem was. While we waited, I got the signers’ ID’s logged in my log book. The SA called me and the lender called the borrowers at the same time. So together the lender and SA said docs looked good and we could move forward. Great. Got the two copies of the CD signed and the lender phones the borrowers again that the real problem has to do with dates listed on docs since this signing was moved from Saturday to Monday (the change of signing appointment happened on Thursday). They had 3 days (Thurs, Fri, and Sat) to fix any potential problems with the docs and dates). Anyway, signing appointment is now definitely cancelled. I called to inform signing agency - I went into an adjoining room (with permission) so that I could be discreet about confirming that I would be compensated receiving my full fee. SA said it was not their policy, but that they would escalate the issue to see if I couldn’t be paid the full fee. What is up with that??? I lived up to EVERY part of my responsibility in this scenario! I probably will get paid in full, but why do we have to ask for it? Why can they have a policy that says if the signing gets cancelled - even at the signing table - that we only get paid less than half of the fee? Where are our rights to be treated and paid fairly? Where can we go for recourse? Who out there champions for our rights? Who or where can we go for help? I’ve been doing this for over 3 years now and I’m tired of being treated extremely poorly by these bozos at the signing agencies with their snobby attitudes. Their only valued-added as a middle-man is they take the responsibility off the lenders to find a guaranteed notary (signing agent) for each signing appointment. Other than that they are about as much help as a bag full of doorknobs when anyone has a question - and they are slow as molasses in January. In my humble opinion, someone needs to figure out a way to revamp the responsibilities of these middlemen or they need to be removed from the process. They never have the answers and rarely get back to you with them when asked - if you can reach them to begin with because now with their new automated systems they don’t even answer their phones - let alone call you back. And we do this for the pittance fees they try to pay us! You know darn well that they are going to receive the full fee for the first cancelled appointment and will receive another fee for the second signing that will need to take place. Again, who is standing up to them on our side? Who is out there to help us? The “rules” are stacked against our doing well and them capturing all the money. And they keep “rating” tabs on us like we’re chattel to be graded like beef for sale! We, my fellow Signing Agents, are the value added in this - not them! They make the profit off our efforts. The system needs to be equalized (at a minimum)! I’d love to hear some thoughts on this. I’m a hard worker and entirely dislike being negative, but this is really getting on my short nerves the with influx of people becoming notaries for the first time and them taking work away from us who are the “real deal” and like being a Signing Agent. I sooo take offense at the new term “side hustle” the newbies have tried make sound ok for doing a poor job - which we’re all taking the heat for with all those new “threats” of non-payment sheets in the added pages of instructions from the signing agencies and lenders. Noticed them? They’ve jumped into this line of work and are doing a very poor job of it! Two new companies have even “taken” (stole) the first three words of my company’s name (that I’ve had for over 3 years) and added “Service” and “Services” behind it, respectfully, to differentiate themselves. “Side Hustle” companies - let’s just call them what they are - temporary thieves. Just the other day, one proudly admitted that since they’ve been in business since the beginning of this year that they’ve only had three call-backs for mistakes. In 3+ years - I have NEVER had even one callback! OK - let’s get some feedback on what people think! I think I’ve put enough fodder out here for robust response.

Hello @joanstanley1,

It has been a while since I’ve posted on this forum.
I feel your disgust and disappointment that’s why I decided not to do loan signings anymore because the SS has too much control over the so called “independent notary” which is why I’ve really never worked with any SS.
The way the SS is set up is to either slow pay on their terms or really NOT pay the notary/SA at all that’s why they make Y’all sign their agreement. They have the control and not the “independent notary”.
I’ve said it before on this forum, that notaries need to start creating their own agreements and terms to give the SS because they’re “independent contractors”. And in the notary agreement, they can start requesting payment via pay pal or however FIRST before services are done.

This is something that ALL notaries have to do collectively and if so, you guys will get your pay for your services. It’s just a suggestion.

The deception in the SS agreement is that they state that notaries are “independent contractors” yet they dictate when you will be paid and if you will get paid for your time and service if there is a cancellation. This is a violation of 1099 contractors agreement. You notice that they don’t give the notary an option to do anything as a independent contractor regarding the fees you want to charge for cancellations, they have the control.

As for your comment on “side hustle” don’t be offended because there are lots of people who do this as a “side hustle” because they are retired etc. People are going to make mistakes whether new or old whether they take low ball fees or high ball fees.

The bottom line is all notaries have to collectively agree to create their own agreements for their services on what they charge, when and how they get paid and give to the SS to sign and agree to the notaries terms. This is what “independent contractor” is all about.
When a plumber comes to a customers house to fix plumbing, the customer does not give the plumber an agreement to sign on when they gonna pay the plumber and how much they gonna pay.
The plumber who’s providing the service gives the customer their price, cost of supplies, etc. Then if agreed the customer will pay for the service the plumber has quoted.

With that being said , SS(signing services) are in violation of 1099 independent contractors rights.

This is just my opinion and I hope this helps and I hope you get paid for all your time because you deserve it.
Be blessed and have a great day.

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Interesting. I hadn’t thought of the violation of 1099 codes. They are indeed telling us how to do our job, when to be there, and what time. I’m not questioning the notary laws or agreement between SS and LSA’s at the moment but you have a point there.

Anyways @joanstanley1, I would demand full pay. You provided a service and carried it out as planned.

I’ve had that happen. I ask for full fee.My gas…my time…my paper…and I get my full fee. I hope Im not jinxing myself. never had an issue.

I read your story and based on what you presented, believe you definitely have merit to your complaint. I am relatively new to this forum, and yes new to the signing agent business but NOT a new notary. In answer to your initial question, I say “YES”. You deserve full pay. The errors were on the lender’s side. They especially owe you after you made phone calls to inquire what the problem was, and then CONFIRMED it was a go the first time.

I also believe there should be more courtesies extended to signing agents in other ways, but that is a different topic/issue.

I’m sorry you had this experience, and hope you get paid as you so deserve.

Thank you for your kind words :o)

Did they pay you? Full fee? Don’t leave us hanging…

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