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Branch System Overview

Understanding the Branch System

A "branch" in Domovita represents a single physical office of your estate agency. Each branch operates as a team unit with shared resources.

How Branches Work

  • One Branch Per Location: Each physical office should have its own branch

  • Multiple Members: Invite unlimited team members to each branch

  • Shared Branch Account: All team members in the branch share the branch account - free, no subscription

  • Shared Listings: Properties are listed under the branch and visible to the whole team - listing is free and unlimited

  • Free for agents: There is nothing to pay to be on Domovita - the only optional paid extra is featuring a property

Branch Creation

When your estate agent application is approved:

  • A branch is automatically created using your company name

  • You become the branch administrator

  • Your branch can list for free, with no subscription

Branch Roles Hierarchy

Every branch member has one of three roles:

Admin (Branch Owner)

  • Full control over the branch

  • Can invite, remove, promote, and demote members

  • Manages any optional featured-property promotions and their billing

  • Can generate, regenerate, and revoke API keys

  • Can configure FTP/SFTP connections to your CRM (self-service)

  • Only role that can appoint other admins or managers

Manager (Team Leader)

  • Can invite new negotiators to the team

  • Can remove negotiators (but not other managers or admins)

  • Can list and manage properties

  • Can view featured-listing status (read-only)

  • Can view API keys (read-only - cannot regenerate)

Negotiator (Team Member)

  • Can list and manage properties under the branch

  • Can handle enquiries and messages

  • Cannot invite or remove team members

  • Cannot view or access API keys

  • Cannot manage featured-listing billing

Branch Status

Branches can have two statuses:

  • Active: Branch operates normally, all members can list properties

  • Suspended: Branch is temporarily disabled (e.g., policy violation or admin action) - members cannot list new properties but can view existing listings

Multi-Branch Agencies

If your agency has multiple offices:

  • Each office should be registered as a separate branch

  • Each branch has its own team and settings

  • Contact support if you need to link branches under one parent company

Understanding Permission Levels

User Permission Levels on Domovita

Domovita has different user groups with varying levels of access. Understanding these helps you know what you can do on the platform.

User Groups

1. Property Users (Basic Level)

  • Private sellers and landlords

  • Buyers and tenants searching for properties

  • Can submit ONE property listing (subject to moderation)

  • Can save properties to favourites

  • Can send enquiries to agents

  • Limitation: Properties require moderation before going live

2. Estate Agents (Verified Professional)

  • Verified estate agents and letting agents

  • Everything Property Users can do, PLUS:

  • Submit property listings (unlimited and free)

  • Properties are auto-published (no moderation delay)

  • Contact details revealed to buyers after they submit an enquiry

  • Can use bulk operations (publish/unpublish multiple listings)

  • Access to property feed import and API

  • Can manage a branch with team members

3. Branch Roles (Within Estate Agents Group)

Once you're an estate agent, you have one of three roles within your branch:

| Role | Can Do |

| Admin | Full control: invite/remove members, promote/demote roles, manage the branch account, generate/regenerate/revoke API keys, configure FTP/SFTP connections |

| Manager | Invite negotiators, remove negotiators, list properties, view feed status - cannot manage the branch account or feed connections (API key generation, regeneration and revocation are admin-only) |

| Negotiator | List properties under branch, handle enquiries - cannot invite or remove team members, cannot access API or feed settings |

What You Can't See or Edit

  • Agent Isolation: You can only see and edit your own branch's listings - never another agency's properties

  • User Privacy: You can't access private seller/buyer accounts or their messages

  • Backend Access: Estate agents don't have access to /administrator (only Moderators and Super Users)

Permission Summary Table

| Action | Property Users | Estate Agents |

| Submit properties | 1 property (moderated) | Unlimited, free (auto-published) |

| Save favourites | ✓ | ✓ |

| Send enquiries | ✓ | ✓ |

| Bulk operations | ✗ | ✓ |

| Contact details | ✗ (enquiry form) | ✓ (revealed after buyer enquiry) |

| Property feeds/API | ✗ | ✓ |

| Team management | ✗ | ✓ |

Estate Agent Registration and Verification

How to Register as an Estate Agent

To list properties on Domovita, you must be a verified estate agent or letting agent.

Registration Process

  1. Create an Account: Register with your email address and create a password
  2. Apply as Estate Agent: Navigate to your account menu and select "Register as Estate Agent"
  3. Company Verification: Enter your Companies House registration number - we'll automatically verify your company details
  4. Await Approval: Our moderation team will review your application (typically within 24-48 hours)
  5. Confirmation: You'll receive an email when approved, and your account will be upgraded to Estate Agent status

What Happens After Approval

  • You're automatically added to the "Estate Agents" user group
  • A branch is created for your company
  • You become the branch administrator with full permissions
  • Your properties are auto-published (no moderation delay)
  • Listing is free for agents - no subscription, no fees, and nothing to expire

Companies House Verification

We use the official Companies House API to verify your registration number. Make sure your company is:

  • Registered in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland
  • Active (not dissolved or in liquidation)
  • Listed with SIC codes appropriate for estate agency

Troubleshooting

If your application is rejected: You'll receive an email explaining why. Common reasons include inactive company status or incorrect registration number. You can re-apply after correcting the issue.

Getting Started with Domovita

Welcome to Domovita Properties

Domovita is a modern property portal designed specifically for estate agents and letting agents in the UK. This guide will help you get started with the platform.

What You Can Do

  • List Properties: Submit property listings for sale or rent (free and unlimited)

  • Team Management: Invite team members to your branch

  • Automated Feeds: Import properties automatically from your CRM or property management software (Property Hive, Alto, Expert Agent, Jupix and more)

  • Featured Listings: Promote properties with premium placement and a gold star badge

  • Handle Enquiries: Manage buyer and tenant enquiries through our messaging system

  • Compliance Reports: Optional fortnightly scan summary of your live listings (Renters' Rights Act wording, deposit caps, material information and more) - private to your branch

  • Free Property Report widget: Embed our postcode report tool on your own website - the leads route to your branch

  • Valuation Leads: Join the free valuation panel - homeowner leads shared by fair rotation, maximum 3 agents per lead

Getting Help

Browse the articles in this section to learn about specific features. If you need assistance, open a support ticket from your account menu or use the contact page - the Getting Help article in this section explains the routes.

Your Branch Management Dashboard

Once registered and approved, your Branch Management page (/branchmanage) is your central hub. From there you can:

  • See today's overview - unread enquiries, your average response time against the 8-hour SLA, and active listings
  • View and manage your branch account and listings
  • Invite and manage team members
  • Turn on fortnightly Compliance Reports for your live listings
  • Connect your CRM - direct Alto/Vebra/Jupix and Loop integrations, inbound SFTP, or API key + push feeds (BLM, XML, CSV, JSON, RTDF)
  • Monitor feed import statistics and manage API key security (regenerate, revoke)
  • Get your free property report link and embed widget for your own website

Access it from the avatar menu in the top navigation bar.

Next Steps

  • Complete your estate agent registration and verification
  • Set up your branch and invite team members
  • Go to Branch Management and explore the dashboard
  • Start listing properties manually, or set up automated feeds from your CRM

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