Notary Pricing
To find your nearest Notary, contact us today.
What truly sets the team at Butcher & Barlow LLP apart is their unwavering dedication to client care, their proactive approach, and their ability to handle complex legal matters.
Pricing information
The fees for notarial services are calculated on an hourly rate of £300 per hour plus VAT. Due to the extensive experience of our Notaries, it is often possible to offer a fixed fee for the work being undertaken.
When you instruct a Notary you will receive a Client Care letter setting out the estimate of costs, the procedure that will be followed, and how to make a complaint should you not be satisfied by the services we have provided.
Key stages and typical timescales
When you contact Butcher & Barlow about Notarial Services there are usually a number of clear stages. We will always explain which of these apply to you and give a tailored timescale in your Client Care Letter.
Initial enquiry and quotation
We will ask you to send us copies of the documents you need to sign, together with your identification and any instructions you may have received, so that we can check what is required. At this stage we will explain whether notarisation is appropriate, what additional steps may be needed (such as an apostille or consular legalisation) and provide an estimate of our fees. For straightforward matters we aim to respond within one to two working days.
Appointment with the Notary
You will then meet one of our Notaries in person so that we can verify your identity and ensure that you understand the document you are signing. Most appointments last between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on the number and complexity of the documents.
Drafting, checking and preparing the document
In some cases we will prepare or amend the document before it is signed, or we may need to liaise with your overseas advisers to confirm the exact form of wording required. Simple matters are often completed on the day of your appointment. More complex matters may take a few working days.
Signing and notarisation
Once everything is in order, you will sign the document in front of the Notary. The Notary will then complete the notarial certificate and affix the notarial seal. Where no further legalisation is needed, the notarised document is usually ready for you to take away at the end of the appointment or later the same day.
Apostille from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
If the document needs an apostille, we can arrange this for you. Typical timeframes are:
- Standard FCDO postal service: usually around one to two weeks from the point the FCDO receives the document.
- Agent or expedited service (where used): often between two and five working days from receipt.
These timescales are outside our control and can change. We will confirm the current expected times when we take your instructions.
Consular legalisation (if required)
Some countries require their Embassy or Consulate to legalise the document after the apostille has been added. Timescales vary between consulates and may range from a few days to several weeks. We will advise you of the likely timeframe once we know which Consulate is involved.
Returning your documents
Once notarisation and any legalisation is complete, we can return your documents by collection from our office, by post or by courier. UK post usually takes between one and three working days. International courier services usually take between three and seven working days, depending on the destination.
Regulatory information
Our Notaries are regulated through the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
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The Faculty Office
1 The Sanctuary
Westminster
London
SW1P 3JT
T: 020 7222 5381
Complaints Procedure
We aim to provide all clients with an efficient and high standard of service. However, in the unlikely event that you should wish to complain, then you should follow the complaints procedure set out below.
If you are dissatisfied about the service you have received, please contact the Notary who acted for you in the first instance. If they are unable to resolve the matter then you may complain to the Notaries Society of which all our Notaries are members, 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
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Old Church Chambers
23 Sandhill Road
St James
Northampton
NN5 5LH
T: 01604 758908
If you have any difficulty making a complaint in writing, please do not hesitate to call 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 eight weeks from the date you first notified the Notary that you were dissatisfied, make your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman*, if you are not happy with the result:
Legal Ombudsman
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P.O. Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH
T: 0300 555 0333
If you decide to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman you must refer your matter to the Legal Ombudsman one year from the act / omission or one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
*certain kinds of commercial entities are not eligible to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman please refer to the Legal Ombudsman Scheme Rules or consult the Faculty Office.
Redress Information
Butcher & Barlow carries professional indemnity liability cover which is limited for Notarial Services to £1,000,000 being the minimum level of cover specified by the Master of the Faculties. Any liability to you therefore is limited to £1,000,000 unless you are injured or die as a result of the Notary’s negligence, in which case liability is without limit.