I've never needed a physical stamp for my practice. Today I've been asked to complete an accountant's certificate for a mortgage application (as I have many times before) but this one insists on a stamp. Anyone know of a 21st century way I can stamp a document, to the satisfaction of a mortgage lender? I'd hope a covering letter on headed paper would do it, but I don't want to cause my client unnecessary delay if that's not sufficient...
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Order a stamp.
Alternatively do what everybody else does and send a covering letter on headed paper.
We have a stamp
It was very low cost and it saves a lot of time. It takes 2 seconds to use it.
Easier said that done if it's a rush job.
I've got some return address labels that I stick on the back of envelopes. I'd use one of those. Never had a rubber stamp. Just postage stamps.
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I have done loads of these over the years. Just ignore and put your disclaimers on headed paper with it, or staple a business card if you still have those. Mine are so out of date they have a previous office address on!
Potato
Next time I come across this I'm considering making one out of a potato: perhaps the classic "pawprint".
It must depend on your age-
if you're from the medieval period, like me, a stamp was an essential.
Funnily enough, it's one thing I imagined might have now been consigned to history. Apparently not?
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The ONLY time I am ever asked for one is on the mortgage reference.
I have (just to be annoying) asked bank staff what would go on this "stamp" and what its purpose it. They have been unable to answer. I think its just been copied forward from year to year by which ever bank monkey makes up the form without understanding what its purpose might actually be, or what proof if may provide to the bank.
Its a bit like when they ask you to "fax it to them". And you point out you haven't had one for at least 5 years, and even then it got used about twice a year, and could i send an email to you, and you can fax it on if you still have a working one?
Of cabbages and kings
Must check as I think within my father's stuff I have a couple of sticks of sealing wax, now just need to get some ribbons and get a couple of rings made, and of course the rings would be tax deductible- my fellow director might well appreciate one circa 25th December, so that is Christmas 2016 sorted.
I suppose I probably ought to have embossed plates made as I have three of these old company seal devices (two are used as bookends one as a paperweight), however the embossed ring idea will have more appeal to the other half; presume sealing wax is still available?
Stamp
I was once told by a bank that all newly qualified accountants were given a stamp by their Institute. 34 years on and I have still to receive it!
Company seal devices
Never used one as a bookend. I do have a couple as doorstops.
As for the stamp - for he sake of £20 to £30 why not get one? I hardly use mine but at least I can satisfy the idiot bankers' box-ticking requirements and move on to something worthwhile.
no!
I haven't ever had a practice stamp since I started nearly 20 years ago.
You will find that if you don't "stamp", it will magically turn out not to be essential. Signed letter on letterhead does the trick.
If you get a stamp, you will only help perpetuate this lunacy.
What's wrong?
I haven't ever had a practice stamp since I started nearly 20 years ago.
You will find that if you don't "stamp", it will magically turn out not to be essential. Signed letter on letterhead does the trick.
If you get a stamp, you will only help perpetuate this lunacy.
What's wrong with a bit of lunacy now and again?
If you really want to "stamp it out" - geddit!? - you should insist on the mortgage provider send you a form without any mention of a stamp.
Workround
I've never come across anybody who insisted on using a stamp. I'd simply tell them that I haven't had one this century and point out that it isn't a legal requirement to have one.
You could work round this by mocking up a stamp in Word to fit a suitable sized space. Then print it out and cut out the "stamp" and glue it to the form that you have completed. Be interesting to see if there's any reaction!
Stamp
I used to use one quite often when we filled in paper 64-8s. Was handy to fill in the agent address section. Haven't used one since online authorisations came in though.
I had a mortgage certificate to do recently.
They insisted on a stamp which I did not have and they could understand that as it was no longer Victorian times why I would not have one.
It was becoming an issue and client was becoming agitated by the delay (mortgage advisor Stirring the pot) so I bit the bullet and got one of ebay which cost about £20 and came in a day or so.
It seems mortgage are worse than ever, mortgage advisors seem to know very little about what information is actually needed, and you have to provide information in dribs and drabs over a few weeks.
I got one for free!
I got a free stamp from Vistaprint when I ordered some business cards..
Student loans often want them
First time I ever needed one was for a student loan form. Went to Staples (other stationery providers are available!) and bought a DIY one for less than a fiver. When I moved, I splashed out and paid about £20 to have one made for me. I probably use it about once a year for mortgage applications and/or student loans.
I can see it now
Mortgage advisers all telling me "well, other accountants have a stamp, why is it a problem?".
Just say no!
I just remembered!
When I first started out I got a company incorporation pack and I they sent me a company stamp. It's in the name of "Peter Saxton Limited" rather than my current business name of "Peter Saxton & Co.". If I knew where it was I could use that. I don't suppose anybody reads it to the end.
Passport Applications, Gun Licences, etc
Occasionally clients ask me to act as reference for passports, gun and shotgun licences, verifying that documents are true copies of originals, etc. My faithful stamp (purchased 20 years ago) is very useful for these. Also useful for 64-8s (when used) as stated by mwngiol and other forms when it asks for address - so much quicker than having to write a long address (mine is 92 characters!)
HMRC are also guilty of this
HMRC sometimes ask you to send them an invoice with "Paid" stamped on it if you seek compensation for extra fees caused by their ineptitude.
Last time it happened we just drew one on the invoice in red ink and sent that to them.
It worked!
http://www.rubberstamps.co.uk/stempelkatalog/Colop/kategorie.aspx?catid=1
If you'd asked on Monday, you could have had one by now :)
(No connection, no commission involved, etc)
Just print your letterhead directly onto the document
I just print my letterhead directly onto the annoying document ... sometimes need to scale the thing to fit, but that's just a matter of making a snapshot of that part of my normal letter-headed notepaper, saving as a PDF file, and then pasting that onto a saved PDF copy of the annoying document ... sounds far more complex than it actually is. Nice thing about PDFs, you can scale them to fit without losing quality.
Stamp
There are lots of office supply type businesses that will make a stamp in an hour. Office Depot ( ex Viking Direst ) will send one by mail order next door.
Next Door Delivery?
There are lots of office supply type businesses that will make a stamp in an hour. Office Depot ( ex Viking Direst ) will send one by mail order next door.
Surely its no good if they send it next door, if he needs the stamp quickly.
I rather like my "stamp" and
I rather like my "stamp" and use it to stamp all outgoing envelopes with the company name ...
Avery labels
We use various Avery label formats set up in MS word, suitably worded, and print out a sheet every so often as needed.
e:G: "Certified to be a true copy of an original document filed at Companies House"
When needed we just peel one off and stick it on the document, and I sign across it using my 1974 fountain pen.
Looks very official. You may put smiley faces or coats of arms thereon if you wish.
I do have a couple of quill pens, and a silver inkwell, and Registrar's ink, and some Archive quality -guaranteed for 500 years- paper (Yes I know, but this is for real)- for when my computer breaks down.
I also have a round ruler. Is anybody out there old enough to remember this item?
There is a serious point to this.
A client of mine has recently accepted a six figure sum compensation as a result of a mortgage screw-up by a well known bank, in 2008-9.
Signed and certified documents were crucial to the issue.
On the other hand, a very well known Building Society lost £400,000 on a mortgage because it had omitted to have the mortgage docs properly signed. The defaulting borrower just walked away with a smile on his face.
Beware, Lenders may hold accountants responsible if they certify applications which turn out to be economical with the truth.
Never treat mortgage docs as less than serious. It is the one in ten thousand that may turn round and bite you on the [***].
I give in
I'm going to order a stamp with a made up name on it. I was thinking of Price Waterhouse Coopers.
blimey
I think this thread explain why they still ask for a weird thing.
There are still quite a number of accountants who are actively perpetuate the farce.
I think I will ask my kids to make me one. I guess what is actually ON it is irrelevant. Probably have a small rabbit or something knowing them.
Potato (or turnip)
I think this thread explain why they still ask for a weird thing.
There are still quite a number of accountants who are actively perpetuate the farce.
I think I will ask my kids to make me one. I guess what is actually ON it is irrelevant. Probably have a small rabbit or something knowing them.
A potato worked when I was a kid, however maybe a more expensive John Bull printing kit from E Bay would look more professional.
However the H & s assessment required before giving offspring a sharp knife and a potato might outweigh the cost saving
I just usually over-print my logo onto the reference sheet.
I agree though - buying a stamp just perpetuates the stupidity - most references are sent to me by pdf these days and I insert an image of my signature!
Now where did I put my John Bull printing outfit?
Might see if I can get another one on ebay.
Stamp
I Still use my Able Printer stamp for mortgage references etc. It came from Able-Labels and was quite cheap.
Back in the old days of paper tax returns before Self Assessment I had a stamp made with the word "NONE". It made filling in returns a bit less tedious. The local tax office called it the "Convent Stamp".
Stamp
I would use my signet ring; if I cann't find sealing wax candle wax will do - or else those amusing Chinese chops that I had engraved when on holiday..
I sometimes have to certify a copy passport or utility bill. I have a word document with a box with the relevant wording "I certify that I have seen the original ..." and name, qualification, address and space to sign and date etc. Then print the page out making sure the box is in a suitable area, and use this as the paper for photocopying the document. Then just sign and date in the box.
Easy. Use PDF tools
Easy.
In the PDF program there is a Stamp tool (If it does not show you need to make it visible /tools/stamp). There are a number of standard stamps such as PAID
In Word or other text editor you create your firm's "stamp" save it as a PDF and insert it into the stamp directory in PDF. You can also create it direct in a PDF doc.
Once done then you can insert it into any scanned or original PDF document.
I always ask the person asking for the certificate to send me the document as a Word or PDF (Paperless). This makes it easy to insert the stamp.
print this
I suggest that you print this and send it to them explaining that you do not have a stamp. Maybe the mortgage lender has one. If so you might ask to borrow it.
Seal
I have tried sealing a document with my signet ring, unfortunately when it goes through the post the rollers destroy the seal. It quite ruined my facetiosness.
@ David Gordon
I have a round ruler too - called a rule as it does not measure. Still use it sometimes.
A self inking stamp is well worth having for those paper forms the lenders insist on sending. Quicker than any other method. The ink pad in it lasts for years.