Terms of business

1. FEES. The cost of notorial services is based upon time spent at the rate of £325 per hour, with a minimum fee of £138 with the right to vary the rate in respect of work carried out urgently or at weekend at your request, in which case an uplift percentage will apply to charges but not disbursement( expenses incurred on your behalf.)
2. FIXED FEES. In some instances a fixed fee may be agreed with you but the rights is reserved to renegotiate the fee or charge at my hourly rate if matters develop unforseen complications.
3. EXPENSES INCURRED ON YOUR BEHALF. You are responsible for all expenses incurred on your behalf, such as fees due to the Foreign and Commonwealth office (F&CO)/foreign embassies, couriers fees, legalisation agents fees, Companies Registry fees, special postage charges, and search fees in registries where needed.
4. PAYMENT. Payment of fees is due upon presentation of the notarised document, or on presentation of my account, if later .
5. CALCULATION OF TIME. Time will be charged as recorded including all work on the matter from start to finish, including preliminary details and advice, preparation and upon you or others on your behalf, attendances, drafting time, phone calls, correspondence (including e-mails, copying, faxes and letters) and completion as professionally required of my register and protocol. Letters phone calls and e-mails are charged at a unit time-cost of 6 minutes per item unless recorded as longer.
6. PREPARATION. This includes (non-exhaustively) all checking or work upon any document presented by you, taking instructions either from you or written by you or others, consideration, drafting, completion of part prepared documents, binding and or sealing of any document and time taken in ensuring compliance with requirements of any foreign jurisdiction.
7. PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. My responsibility is to the integrity of the Notarial act performed by me on your behalf. My obligation to you is confined to ensuring you understand the content of the document concerned and that you intend to be bound by it. It is not my responsibility to provide legal advice as to the effect of the document, as to which you must place reliance upon such advice as may be provided by your own professional advisers either here or in the foreign jurisdiction concerned.
8. INTEGRITY OF THE ACT. In order to discharge my obligation, I have to be satisfied as to your identity, as to your capacity, understanding and intent legally to perform it and, in some circumstances, I shall have to insist upon there being a translation. While I shall endeavour to ensure your document in its form and content is fit to achieve its purpose, I am not responsible to you if it does not. I must also be satisfied the act is your voluntary act, that there is no fraud, violence or duress involved. If I am not satisfied as to any of the matters referred to in this paragraph, I am obliged to refuse to complete the matter.
9. FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE AND/OR CONSULAR LEGALISATION: Some countries require a document to be legalised. This the process by which the relevant state agency confirms that my seal and signature are those of an English notary. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office attach an apostille to the document. Sometimes the document then has to go to the London Embassy for the country to where the document will be sent. The Embassy will then attach its own certificate to the document. The F.& C.O. and Embassies charge fees for their involvement and you are responsible for payment of such fees. Your lawyer may advise you of the need for legalisation. If not, you should ask him or her about it. I shall be able to obtain the necessary legalisation, providing I am in funds for doing so, and shall discuss with you time scale and whether we should use legalisation agents or couriers if speed is required. However, you can deal with legalisation yourself if you wish.
10. RECORD KEEPING. All notaries are required to maintain a record of transactions completed by them. I shall also retain a copy of any notarised document and evidence of identity in my protocol.
11. LIABILITY. To the extent that I am permitted by law to do so, but not further, I limit my liability to you to the amount of my account for professional services. In no case shall my liability to you exceed £500,000.00.
12. RELEVANT LAW. The relevant law governing my contract with you is the law of England and Wales; any dispute shall be decided by the courts of England and Wales.