Engaging a notary is NOT a rubber stamping exercise and there is no such thing as a “simple” notarization of any deed. A notary’s seal has the effect of authenticating and validating its contents and I will therefore need evidence, possibly from additional and external sources of your identity and authority to act before this can be done.
I am required to provide certain information to my potential clients. This is summarised below but needs to be read in conjunction with my formal Terms and Conditions a copy of which is provided to clients before we meet, and which only come into effect when I accept your instructions.
Regulation
I am Regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Please see facultyoffice.org.uk
The Faculty Office, 1, The Sanctuary, Westminster, London, SW1P 3JT
Price Information
I charge on a time incurred or hourly basis to include review/preparation work, travel and waiting time if relevant, as well as the time at our meeting. In addition, time will always have to be spent after meeting to deal with the completion of official registers and it is often the case that certain notarial work requires the obtaining of further stamping and ‘legalisation’ at the UK foreign office and/or a London embassy of the relevant country you are dealing with.
The more information you can provide at the outset, the cheaper the final charge. Further time might also need to be incurred if I need further information from your lawyers abroad, or if I need to draft additional documents or if I need to verify certain aspects of the transaction.
As the nature of individual documents varies and the requirements of the receiving jurisdiction can need investigation, it is impossible to give a general idea of the time required. Typically, however, provided full information is provided in plenty of time before we meet, we can conclude most of the formalities at our appointment. Any Foreign Office Legalisation and Embassy stamping can often take a further 5-10 working days.
My charge out rate is £220 per hour.
VAT is not charged on my fees but may be levied by my agents on their fees, for example foreign embassy or courier charges.
My minimum fee is £165 plus any third party charges or disbursements.
I will provide estimates (including an approximate timescale for conclusion of the formalities) of my charges on request and receipt of the copy documents and the particular instructions you have been given by your advisers abroad.
The Role of a Notary / My Services
Although I practice separately as an employed solicitor, I only offer Notarial Services to clients. These include the legalisation and verification of documents for use abroad.
I only offer Notarial Services in my capacity as a notary and in particular do not offer Conveyancing or Probate services as a notary.
My services are only offered in the English language.
Insurance
My notarial work is insured through a UK insurance company, details of which are available upon request to retained clients.
Except so far as excluded by the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 or under the Terms and Conditions, my liability for any loss, injury or damage of any nature whatever, whether direct or consequential, including (without limitation) in respect of negligence or breach of duty of care is limited to £1,000,000.00 in respect of any one claim or series of related claims
Data Protection
Please click on the link in the menu above (or here) for further information.
Complaints Procedure
As a notary I am required to have a formal complaints procedure. Full details are set out in the Terms and Conditions but in summary:
Please do raise any issues with me in the first instance.
If we are unable to resolve the matter you may complain to the Notaries Society of which I am a member. They operate a free to use Complaints Procedure which is approved by the Faculty Office. You can write (but do not send any original documents) with full details of your complaint to:
The Secretary, The Notaries Society, PO Box 1023 Ipswich IP1 9XB; Email secretary@thenotariessociety.org.uk
Even if you have your complaint considered under the Notaries Society Approved Complaints Procedure, you may at the end of that procedure, or after a period of 8 weeks months from the date you first notified me that you were dissatisfied, make your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, if you are not happy with the result:
Legal Ombudsman
P O Box 6806
Wolverhampton.
WV1 9WJ
Tel: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Nb: If you decide to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, you must refer your matter to the Legal Ombudsman within one year from the act/omission or within one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
These pages are copyright and are not to be reproduced in any way without our express permission
All contracts entered into are governed by English Law alone and are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts