What to do when a loan signing goes wrong: my first signing, from both sides.

My first signing ever was a disaster. It was during COVID. An out-of-state title agency called me the same day with a refinance. The signers wanted to meet in the evening, outside in their backyard, so everyone could stay safe.

The backyard had one small light. And it was windy. We sat down, I started going through the documents, and my stomach dropped. Most of the pages were cut off. My printer had botched the whole package, and I hadn't caught it before I left.

So I apologized, drove home, reprinted everything, drove back, and started over. This time the wind joined in. I was chasing pages across the yard every few minutes. By the end, I believed one page may have blown away for good. I told the title agency everything that happened. They never called me again.

It stung. But it taught me lessons I've used on every signing since, and I wrote both sides of that night into my book.

What should a notary do right after a signing goes wrong?

Tell the agency right away, and tell them everything. Don't wait until the documents arrive and hope nobody notices. Call or email as soon as you can. Tell them what happened, what you did about it, and anything you're not sure of. If you think a page may be missing, say so. They would much rather hear it from you today than discover it themselves next week.

Then follow their direction. What gets fixed, and how, depends on the lender's instructions, the agency's policy, and your state's rules.

What's the difference between explaining and excusing?

Explaining sounds like: "Here's what happened, here's what I did, and here's what I'm changing so it doesn't happen again." Excusing sounds like: "It wasn't really my fault because of the wind." Agencies can work with the first. They tune out the second. Write your mistake script now, before you need it.

How do you keep it from happening again?

Most bad signings start before you arrive. Looking back at that night, almost every problem traced back to something I could have caught earlier.

• Check the printout, not just the package. After you print, flip through every page. Are the margins right? Is anything cut off, blank, faded, or out of order? A few minutes at your printer can save a second trip.
• Ask about the signing space on your confirmation call, and pack for what you might find: a clipboard and binder clips so pages can't blow away, a small light for dim rooms, extra pens, and a backup plan for printing.
• Suggest a better spot if the space won't work. A signer usually cares more about getting it done right than where it happens.

What should the title agency do when a notary reports a problem?

Now look at that night from the agency's side. Most of what went wrong was mine to own. But a few things weren't. The order came in the same day, which left almost no room for anything to go wrong. The instructions were complete, but it was after hours, and all I had was an email address. No phone number. A two-minute call would have taken a lot of pressure off a brand new notary standing in a dark, windy backyard.

1. Fix the file first. What's missing? What needs to be signed again? What does the lender need to know? Get the closing back on track before spending any energy on blame.
2. Then look at the whole chain. Did the order go out with enough time? Did the package go out complete? Could the notary reach someone when things went wrong? If any answer is no, part of the bad signing belongs to your office.
3. Judge the pattern, not just the night. One bad signing isn't the same as a bad notary. A notary who brings you the truth on a hard day is often worth keeping. One who hides problems is not, even with a clean record.
4. Have a real after-hours plan. Give every notary a phone number for someone who can make decisions after hours, not just an email address.

Does owning a mistake save the relationship?

Not always. I did everything I could after that night and still lost the client. That was their right. But owning it still matters. It protects your name with the other agencies that client talks to, and it's the only way to actually learn from it. The agencies you work with for years will be the ones who saw how you handled a hard day.

And agencies, how you respond tells every notary they talk to whether your office is a safe place to bring bad news. The notaries who feel safe telling you the truth are the ones who protect your files.

This is Chapter 5 on both sides of Closed Together: "Owning Yours" for notaries and "Owning Your Side of a Bad Signing" for title agents.

This article shares general practices and personal experience from real signings. It isn't legal advice. Notary laws, fees, and requirements vary by state, and lenders and title agencies set their own instructions, so check the current rules where you work.