Terms of business and fees

Signatures

The Notary should normally witness your signature.  Please do not sign the document in advance of your appointment with me.

Papers to be sent to me in advance

It will save time, expense and mistakes if, as long before the appointment as possible, you can let me have the originals or photocopies of:

• The documents to be notarised
• Any letter or other form of instruction which you have received about what has to be done with the documents;
• Your evidence of identification.

Identification

I will need you to produce by way of formal identification the original of:

• Your current passport (or, if not available);
• A current new driving licence (with photo) or national identity card

If neither of the above are available, at least two of the following

• A current government or police issue certificate bearing a photo or other formal means of identification;
• A utility bill, credit card or bank statement showing your current address which should not be more than 3 months old or council tax bill;

You must also bring any other means of ID which may be referred to in the papers sent to you as being required such as a foreign Identity Card. I may also ask to see further evidence of identity such as marriage certificates etc and will advise you of this if necessary.

Proof of names

In a case where the name on the document is different from the name you are currently using, or there has been a variation in the form of spelling of the name over the years, please provide me as appropriate with Certificates of Birth, Marriage or Divorce Decree or Change of Name Deed showing all the different names that you use.  If there has been a change of name, then I will need to see a copy of the Deed Poll or Statutory Declaration which dealt with it.

Advice on the document

If you bring a document to me for authorisation as a Notary, I will advise you as to the formalities required for completing it. However, I will not be attempting to advise you about the transaction itself.

Written Translations 

It is essential that you understand what you are signing. 

• If the document is in a foreign language which you do not understand sufficiently, I may have to insist that a translation be obtained.  If I arrange for a translation, a further fee will be payable and I will provide you with details of this.
• If you arrange for a professional translation, the translator should add his/her name, address, relevant qualification, and a certificate stating: “Document X is a true and complete translation of document Y, to which this translation is attached.”

Oral Interpreter 

If you and I cannot understand each other because of a language difficulty, we may have to make arrangements for a competent interpreter to be available at our interview and this may involve a further fee.

Companies, Partnerships etc 

If a document is to be signed by you on behalf of a company, a partnership, a charity, club or other incorporated body, there are further requirements on which I may have to insist.  Please be prepared for these and telephone with any point of difficulty before attending on the appointment.

In each case: 

1. Evidence of identity of the authorised signatory (as listed above).
2. A copy of the current letterhead (showing the registered office if it is a company).
3. A Letter of Authority, Minute, Resolution or Power of Attorney, authorising you to sign the document.

Additionally, companies: Certificate of Incorporation and of any Change of Name, a copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association, Details of Directors and Secretaries.  In all instances I will be carrying out various company searches, which may have an effect on the level of fees charged.

Additionally, partnerships, clubs, etc: A Partnership Agreement; or relevant Trust Deed; or Charter; or Constitution/Rules.

Notarial charges and expenses 

Details of my charges are set out below. Please note that if I have to make payments on your behalf such as legalisation fees, translator or interpreter fees, or other costs such as travelling expenses, your approval to these will be obtained and you are normally required to make payment in advance of any such amounts.

Charges:

➢ Legal/Notarial related fees

In regards to notarisation of documents and attendance fees for the purposes of legalisation and attestation of documents, we normally offer a fixed fee service.

As a guideline we charge the following fees for the following typical documents that notarisation is normally requested on, when those are to be signed in our offices:

• Biometric related page of the passport: £125 [+ VAT@20%]
• Full passport: £150 [+ VAT@20%]
• Utility Bill/Driving License: £125 [+ VAT@20%]
• Affidavit already drafted: £145 [+ VAT@20%]
• Affidavit drafted by us: £245 [+ VAT@20%]
• Travel consent already drafted: £145 [+ VAT@20%]
• Travel consent drafted by us: £245 [+ VAT@20%]
• University Letter: : £145 [+ VAT@20%]
• University Letter plus the Transcripts: £245 [+ VAT@20%]
• Certificate of no impediment already drafted: £145 [+ VAT@20%]
• Certificate of no impediment drafted by us: £245 [+ VAT@20%]
• Personal Power of Attorney already drafted (1 signature): £175 [+ VAT@20%]
• Personal Power of Attorney (2 Signatures): £195 [+ VAT@20%]
• Commercial Power of Attorney (1 Signature): £175 [+ VAT@20%]
• Commercial Power of Attorney (2 Signatures): £245 [+ VAT@20%]
• Drafting of a Personal Power of Attorney for Spain, Portugal or England & Wales (1 Signature): £345 [+ VAT@20%]

If instead of coming in to our office you require our offsite notarial services, we can provide you with a quote once you inform us of your specific postal address, and our offsite fees start from £400+VAT.

For more complicated or time-consuming matters our fee will be based on the hourly rate of £300 [+ VAT@20%].

As you can note, our fees include VAT, consisting on our fees being subject to 20% VAT. Our VAT registration number is 227 9152 96.

To be able to confirm the fixed fee before your appointment with us, we will ask you to send your documents beforehand.

The time charged takes into consideration the following: your initial instruction/reading emails with instructions, our guidance in regards to the instruction, drafting of documents (when applicable), attending meetings/phone/video calls, entering information/completing the Notarial Register and Protocol.

Occasionally, unforeseen circumstances may arise during the course of the services request which may result in a revision of our fee estimate given to you initially. Examples of this could include where a matter becomes pressing/urgent/complex that for instance requires involving us as legal professionals in a particular area of expertise, where extra documents are required to be notarised, additional translations or legalisations in order to meet the requirements of the receiving jurisdiction or third party fees that need adjusted to reflect external factors. In anticipation of those circumstances, we reserve the right to vary our fees, although we would obtain your approval before we take-on any additional work.

➢   Disbursements:

The disbursements that you can incur whilst needing our services will be as follows, besides the fixed fee quote for the notarisation:

Legalisation/Apostille of The Hague related fees:

-Standard or express service (paper-based)

*Fee payable to the FCDO: £40

*Attendance fee in regards to the standard service: £55 [+ VAT@20%]

*Attendance fee in regards to the express service: £125 [+ VAT@20%]

-E-Apostille payable to the FCDO:

*Fee payable to the FCDO: £35

*Attendance fee in regards to this service: £125 [+ VAT@20%]

Attestation fees payable to the relevant Embassy/ Consulate for the attestation of documents:

*Their fee: As every Embassy/Consulate varies in regards to their own fees for the specific document that you may need legalised by them, we will need to consult their specific website at the moment of need to confirm the fee for this. *Attendance fee in regards to this service: £125 [+ VAT@20%].

Translators´ fees:

These fees depend on the type of document and length, and whether you need standard translators or sworn translators (i.e. Spanish sworn translator).

Couriers´ fees:

We can arrange DHL for your document/s to be sent abroad, for which we charge £78.

Postage fees:

We can arrange for your document/s to be sent within the UK by Royal Mail, for which we charge £6 if you need us to arrange recorded delivery or £12 if you need the special delivery.

In any case, you prior consent would be obtained before incurring any of the above charges.

➢   Payment options

We accept payments by card, bank transfer or cash only up to £1,000 per client. 

Payment of fees and disbursements is due when the document has been prepared which may be retained pending payment in full.

Occasionally unforeseen or unusual issues arise during the course of the matter which may result in a revision of the fee estimate. Examples of this could include where additional documents are required to be notarised, additional translations or legalisations are needed to meet the requirements of the receiving jurisdiction, third party fees are adjusted to reflect external factors such as fuel price changes and so on. We will notify you of any changes in the fee estimate as soon as possible.

Castelo Notaries Limited is registered in England and Wales under Company registration number 9705915. VAT number 227 9152 96.

Typical Stages of a notarial transaction

Each notarial matter is different and the requirements and timescales will vary greatly according to whether the client is a private individual or a company and in particular according to the processing times of third parties such as the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, legalisation agents, translating agencies and couriers, etc . Some of the typical key stages are likely to include:

• Receiving and reviewing the documents to be notarised together with any instructions you may have received
• Liaising with your legal advisors or other bodies to obtain the necessary documentation to deal with the document (e.g. information from Companies House or foreign registries, powers of attorney etc)
• Checking the identity, capacity and authority of the person who is to sign the document
• If a document is to be certified, checking with the issuing authorities that the document/award is genuine. In the case of academic awards, this would entail checking with the appropriate academic institutions.
• Meeting with the signatory to verify their identity and to ascertain that they understand what they are signing and that they are doing so of their own free will and ensuring that the document is executed correctly
• Drafting and affixing or endorsing a notarial certificate to the document
• Arranging for the legalisation of the document as appropriate
• Arranging for the storage of copies of all notarised documents in accordance with the requirements of the Notarial Practice Rules 2019

Notarial Records and Data Protection

When I carry out my work for you, I am required to make an entry in a formal register, which is kept by me as a permanent record.  I will retain a copy of the notarised documentation with that record. My practice is a registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. Personal data received from clients is held securely and not capable of being accessed externally. Data collected as part of notarial records is used solely for the purposes of meeting our professional legal responsibilities as Notaries Public. For full details of my PRIVACY POLICY and data processing terms please see my website: www.castelonotaries.com

Insurance

In the interests of my clients I maintain professional indemnity insurance at a level of at least £1,000,000.00 per claim.

Termination/ Your Right to Cancel

You may terminate your instructions to me at any time by giving me reasonable written notice. All fees and disbursements incurred up to the date of termination will be charged.

Consumer Cooling Off Cancellation Period –Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 (“CCR”):

Where the CCR apply (typically where you are an individual consumer and my contract with you was concluded either at or following a meeting with you or by a form of distance communication) you have a cancellation period of 14 days after the date you sign my retainer letter or the date on which you continue to give me instructions, whichever is earlier.

You can cancel your contract within the cancellation period by giving me a clear statement and I will reimburse all payments received from you by the same method that you used, at no cost to you, without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which you inform me of the cancellation.

If you ask us to begin work during the cancellation period, you can still cancel but you must pay me an amount in proportion to the work which I have performed and this proportion will not be reimbursed to you.

Termination by me

I reserve the right to terminate my engagement by you if I have good reason to do so, for example, if you do not pay a bill or comply with my request for a payment on account or you fail to give me the co-operation which I am reasonably entitled to expect.

Complaints procedure 

My notarial practice is regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury: 

The Faculty Office

1, The Sanctuary

Westminster

London  SW1P 3JT

Telephone 020 7222 5381                

Email Faculty.office@1thesanctuary.com    

Website www.facultyoffice.org.uk  

If you are dissatisfied about the service you have received please do not hesitate to contact me. 

If we are unable to resolve the matter you may then complain to the Notaries Society of which I am a member, who have a Complaints Procedure which is approved by the Faculty Office.  This procedure is free to use and is designed to provide a quick resolution to any dispute. 

In that case please write (but do not enclose any original documents) with full details of your complaint to:

The Secretary of The Notaries Society

P O Box 1023

Ipswich IP1 9XB

Email secretary@thenotariessociety.org.uk

If you have any difficulty in making a complaint in writing please do not hesitate to contact the Notaries Society/the Faculty Office for assistance. 

Finally, 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 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 

 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.

I hope that these notes are of help to you in understanding what is expected of each of us.

Further information

Clients wanting to know more about the Legalisation section of the FCDO and about the notarial profession can click on the below links:  

The Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury
www.facultyoffice.org.uk

The Notaries Society of England and Wales
www.thenotariessociety.org.uk

FCDO – Apostille of The Hague

https://www.gov.uk/get-document-legalised

Details of the legalisation departments of the various embassies in London

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk

It is relevant to note that some embassies insist that documents are prepared and presented for legalisation in particular forms. Some will accept bundled documents (such as copies) and others will require certification of each one. It is important to review changes on the various websites with some frequency

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