Witnessing form signing... solicitors etc

[andyoxon]

We need the signing of some forms witnessing.  It turns out that no solicitors locally will witness form signing, unless you're an active client, and using the firm of solicitors 20 yrs ago, which were then taken on by another doesn't count apparently.  'Too snowed under/ not worth our time'.  Any general  ideas who would witness document signing for a non client (in Oxfordshire - if any experience)?

[Jaded]

I'd double check who is allowed to sign the type of document you have. It may not require a solicitor?

[rafletcher]

Access to many of the usual suspects is now severly curtailed - GP's, Bank managers, Police Officers. Sometimes a Chartered Engineer will do, or a Teacher. But maybe a JP would be the best bet - for a fee of course.

[Jaded]

For some docs an elected representative, or even a company director are acceptable.

[rr]

Check who they allow, for passports the list is large and I qualify several times, as I suspect most people on here do.
In a lot of cases it just has to be someone who knows who you are and sees you sign.

[andyoxon]

Thx.  'Commissioner of oaths, or qualif'd practising solicitor.'

[PaulF]

THere's one in Wantage I used for certified copies, they just asked for a donation to their charity box. They may help. Can't remember the name and I'm just about to go into a meeting but they're in a business park on the A338 on the way to Hungerford

[andyoxon]

THere's one in Wantage I used for certified copies, they just asked for a donation to their charity box. They may help. Can't remember the name and I'm just about to go into a meeting but they're in a business park on the A338 on the way to Hungerford

Thanks for this.  Just called them, after checking gmaps, & they can witness signing of the two forms.   

[toontra]

I was astonished to find recently that for house conveyancing your ID needs to be refreshed every 3 months.  We used a firm of solicitors for probate 5 months ago and all 3 executors trooped into the Wiltshire family solicitor's office to produce passports, council tax bills, etc.

5 months on, the parent's house is under offer and I am told we all have to go through the process again "as it's been 3 months since we last produced witnessed documents"    So we either make the pilgrimage from all over the UK or get a local solicitor to do the necessary (for a fee).  In past years I was able to get a friend who is a High Court judge to witness and sign documents but this is no longer acceptable apparently.

Money laundering goes on at an industrial scale in the UK, enabled by the big financial institutions (who are occasionally fined and slapped on the wrist).  They'd be better off taking that seriously instead of bringing in petty regulation that seems to me at least like gesture politics.

[andyoxon]

Sounds like a pain.  All x3 the nearest solicitors to me said 'sorry only if existing client & don't know what to suggest & you're not the first to be perplexed about difficulty in getting sig witnessed'...

[chrisbainbridge]

I had the same problem recently. There was one solicitor in Derby willing to do this for a £10:00 fee.

[andyoxon]

You'd have thought it would be a bit of 'loss leader', worth doing as the new, non-existing client may be likely to look them up for more substantial work in future...  Wonders if it's a liability/insurance thing.

[rafletcher]

Or even a profit maker getting the junior to witness for a substantial fee, exactly the same inflated fee as all other local solicitors (see also IFA's).

[andyoxon]

Or even a profit maker getting the junior to witness for a substantial fee, exactly the same inflated fee as all other local solicitors (see also IFA's).

Apparently many of these charges for witnessing etc are actually fixed by the Law Society.  So no room for price gouging setting own fee level.

[PaulF]

THere's one in Wantage I used for certified copies, they just asked for a donation to their charity box. They may help. Can't remember the name and I'm just about to go into a meeting but they're in a business park on the A338 on the way to Hungerford

Thanks for this.  Just called them, after checking gmaps, & they can witness signing of the two forms.   

Just checked - it was Angel Wilkins, is that who you found?

[andyoxon]

Just checked - it was Angel Wilkins, is that who you found?

Yes.  Cheers for that.