Agency Form

The 'New/Edit Agency' form in InterVal allows you to create a new agency or modify an existing one within your organization. This form is divided into seven tabs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the agency's information. The tabs include 'General Information', 'Valuation Matter', 'Legal', 'Payment', 'Invoicing', 'Design', and 'Settings'. By filling out the relevant details in each tab, you can comprehensively define the agency's profile, preferences, and operational parameters.

Review the numbered labels on the screenshots below and read the associated text to learn more about the different features on this page.

Tab 1 - General Information

The 'General Information' tab is the first section of the 'New/Edit Agency' form. This tab captures the essential details of the agency, such as its official name, legal name, contact information, and address. By providing accurate and up-to-date information in this tab, you establish a clear identification of the agency within your organization. The General Information tab serves as the foundation for the agency's profile and ensures that all necessary contact and location details are readily available for reference and communication purposes.

1. Save: Click the "Save" button to store the entered agency information and create the new agency in the system.
2. Close: Use the "Close" button to exit the new agency form without saving any changes.
3. Agency name: Enter the official name of the new agency in this field.
4. Legal name: Provide the legal name of the agency, which may differ from the agency name, in this input field.
5. Website: Enter the agency's website URL, if available, in this field.
6. Description: Input the primary email address for contacting the agency.
7. Phone number: Provide the main phone number for reaching the agency.
8. Address: Enter the agency's physical address in this field.
9. Country: Select the country where the agency is located from the dropdown menu.
10. City: Choose the city where the agency is situated from the dropdown list.
11. Zipcode/Postcode: Enter the zipcode or postcode corresponding to the agency's address.

Tab 2 - Valuation Matter

The 'Valuation Matter' tab in the 'New/Edit Agency' form is designed to capture essential information related to the agency's valuation practices, ensuring consistency and transparency in their process. This tab allows you to define default settings such as the matter to be assigned, valuation currency, property type and subtype, valuation method, and valuation and inspection dates. By establishing these defaults, you can streamline the project setup process, ensure adherence to industry best practices, and promote efficiency and coordination among team members throughout the valuation process.

1. Does the RICS regulate the Agency?: Indicate whether the agency is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) by selecting the appropriate checkbox. If yes, provide the RICS registration number in the corresponding field.
2. Does any other VPO regulate the Agency?: Specify if the agency is regulated by any other Valuation Professional Organization (VPO) by checking the box. If applicable, click the "Add other VPO" button to provide details about the regulating VPO.
3. Description / expertise on this market: Enter a brief description of the agency's expertise and specialization in the relevant market. This may include the types of properties they primarily deal with (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial), their geographic focus, years of experience, notable clients or projects, and any unique skills or knowledge they possess that set them apart from competitors.
   Example: ABC Valuation Agency specializes in providing accurate and reliable valuation services for residential and commercial properties in the Greater London area. With over 15 years of experience, our team of RICS-certified valuers has a deep understanding of the local property market and its unique dynamics. We have a proven track record of delivering high-quality valuation reports for a diverse range of clients, including banks, investors, and property developers. Our expertise extends to complex valuation cases, such as mixed-use developments and properties with unique architectural features.
4. Source of data: Specify the primary source(s) of data used by the agency for their valuation projects. Examples include property databases (e.g., PropertyData, CoStar, Rightmove), government sources (e.g., Land Registry, ONS), market reports from professional bodies (e.g., RICS, CBRE, JLL), local estate agents and property professionals, and internal company database and previous valuation records.
   Example: Our valuation process relies on a comprehensive range of data sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. We utilize property databases such as PropertyData and CoStar to access extensive market information, including recent sales, rental data, and property characteristics. Additionally, we gather data from government sources like the Land Registry and the Office for National Statistics to monitor market trends and economic indicators. Our valuers also maintain strong relationships with local estate agents and property professionals to gain insights into off-market transactions and emerging trends. Finally, we continuously update and refer to our internal database of previous valuation cases to ensure consistency and benchmark our findings against historical data.
5. Complaints handling procedure: Provide an overview of the agency's procedure for handling complaints related to their valuation services. This may include acknowledging the complaint in writing within 3 working days, assigning a senior manager to investigate and liaise with the person or entity filing the complaint, conducting a thorough investigation, providing a written response within 15 working days, escalating unresolved issues to the agency's director, or maintaining a complaint register for regular analysis and improvement.
   Example: At ABC Valuation Agency, we are committed to providing exceptional service and maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. In the event of a complaint, we follow a structured procedure to ensure a prompt and fair resolution. Upon receiving a complaint, we acknowledge receipt in writing within 3 working days and assign a senior manager to investigate the matter and liaise with the complainant. If the complainant is not satisfied with the response, the matter is escalated to the agency's director for further review. We maintain a complaint register and regularly analyze complaints to identify areas for improvement in our processes and services, ensuring continuous enhancement of our valuation offerings.
6. Documents: This section allows you to attach relevant documents associated with the agency. Click the "Add" button to upload files, specifying the document type, title, and expiration date (if applicable). You can also set the "Automatically insert to all reports" option to include the document in all valuation reports generated by the agency.

Tab 3 - Legal

In this tab, you can add additional terms to your Terms of Engagement (T.O.E). These terms will be placed either before the signature section or in the "Delivery, Fees & Condition" section, providing flexibility in customizing your T.O.E.

1. Add Additional Term: Click this button to add a new additional term to your T.O.E.
2. Additional Terms Table: This table lists all the additional terms you have created for your T.O.E.
3. Save and Close: Click this button to save the newly added term and close the window.
4. Close Without Saving: Click this button to close the window without saving any changes.
5. Title: Input a title for your new additional term here.
6. Term Content: Write the content of your new additional term in this field.
7. Insertion Location: Select where this term will be inserted, either in the "Signature Section" or "Delivery, Fees & Condition" section of your T.O.E.

Tab 4 - Payment

In this tab, you can tailor how your agency handles extra work hours for an assignment, specifying the hourly rate, currency, and any applicable free hours or post-valuation services.

1. Enable Extra Hours: Check this checkbox to enable the extra hours section and configure the related settings.
2. Hourly Rate: Specify the rate charged per extra hour worked on the assignment.
3. Currency: Select the currency for the hourly rate.
4. Free Hours: Define the number of hours provided free of charge before starting to charge the hourly rate (can be set to zero).
5. Post-Valuation Validity: Specify the validity period of these terms after the completion of the valuation, including any free hours (can be left empty).
6. Post-Valuation Services: Provide a definition of the post-valuation report services offered.
   Example: "Post-valuation services include responding to client queries, providing additional supporting documentation, and attending meetings or calls related to the completed valuation, up to the specified number of free hours."

Tab 5 - Invoicing

In this tab, you can configure the necessary information for your invoices, such as payment details, disclaimers, and registration numbers.

1. Payment/Banking Details: Provide your payment or banking details here, which will be displayed on your invoices.
   Example: "Bank Name: ABC Bank, Account Number: 1234567890, Sort Code: 12-34-56, IBAN: GB00ABCD12345678901234, SWIFT: ABCDGB2L"
2. Text Styling: Use these options to add styles to the payment/banking details text.
3. Disclaimer: Provide a short disclaimer to be included in your invoices.
   Example: "This invoice is due within 30 days of the issue date. Late payments may be subject to additional fees and interest charges."
4. Registration Numbers: Click this button to open a modal window where you can add several registration numbers, such as VAT or tax numbers.
5. Registration Name: Write the name of your registration (e.g., "VAT Registration").
6. Registration Number: Input the reference number for your registration.

Tab 6 - Design

In this tab, you can configure the appearance of your reports by changing the logo, cover picture, color scheme, fonts, and other design elements.

1. Logo and Cover Picture: This section allows you to upload your logo and cover picture for your reports.
2. Upload: Click this button to upload a new logo or cover picture.
3. Delete: Click this button to delete the currently uploaded logo or cover picture.
4. View: Click this button to view the currently uploaded logo or cover picture.
5. Color Scheme: Click this button to open a modal window (Modal 6) where you can pick a color scheme for your reports.
6. Color Picker: Use this tool to select a color for your reports.
7. Font Selector: Choose a font for your reports from the available options.
8. Restore Default: Click this button to restore the default design settings for the current report.
9. Preview: Click this button to view an example of the report design with your selected settings.
10. Reset All: Click this button to reset all design settings across your reports.

Tab 7 - Settings

In this tab, you will find general settings that apply to all valuation works performed by the agency, such as the floor numbering scheme.

1. Floor Numbering Scheme: Select the standard floor numbering scheme for your agency, choosing between the European and American systems. The European system typically designates the ground floor as "0" and the first floor as "1," while the American system designates the ground floor as the first floor. This setting will determine how the system handles floor numbering for your agency's valuation projects.