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Compliance Reports: What We Scan For and How to Read Them

Compliance Reports Domovita quietly checks your live listings against the rules that apply to marketing property in England (and, where noted, England and Wales); Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish equivalents differ, and - if you switch reports on - emails your branch a consolidated summary roughly every two weeks. You only get an email when there is actually something to review. Nothing is shared outside your branch: the reports exist to help you fix issues before a buyer, tenant or regulator notices them, not to police you. Turning reports on and off Go to Branch Management (avatar menu, or /branchmanage) Find the Compliance Reports card Click Turn on compliance reports (or off, any time) Only branch admins and managers can change the setting. The card also shows when the last report was sent. What we scan The scanner reads both the text of your listings and their structured fields (price, deposit, EPC, council tax band, tenure and so on), and checks them against the current rules, including: The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (main provisions in force since 1 May 2026) - see our plain-English RRA guide The Tenant Fees Act 2019 - deposit caps and permitted payments MEES - minimum energy efficiency standards for rentals The Equality Act 2010 - discriminatory wording The DMCC Act 2024 - material information and misleading-practice rules (see our material information guide for agents) The three finding levels Legal breach - the listing appears to break a current rule. Examples: "No DSS" / "no benefits" / "no children" / "professionals only" wording; references to Section 21 or assured shorthold tenancies (both abolished for new-style tenancies since 1 May 2026); "offers over" or bidding language on a rental; an F or G EPC on a rental (unlawful to let under MEES, subject to exemptions); a deposit above the Tenant Fees Act cap. Fix these promptly - edit the wording or the field, or take the listing down until it is resolved. Misleading - something is missing or could mislead. Examples: no EPC rating given; council tax band missing; tenure or lease length missing on a sale; deposit not stated on a rental; a blanket "no pets" line (pet requests must be considered case by case under the RRA); fixed-term tenancy language; "save £thousands"-style claims with no basis. Best practice - guidance to make a listing clearer or stronger. No action is legally required, but these are easy wins. What to do with a report Open each finding's listing and edit the flagged wording or fill in the missing field For anything marked Legal breach, treat it as a priority - these are the items that carry real liability for you and your landlord clients The next scan cycle picks up your fixes automatically - a clean fortnight means no email at all If you think a finding is wrong for your specific case, you can leave the listing as it is - the report is advisory and your branch stays in control. For the law behind the checks, our landlord compliance checklist and Renters' Rights Act guide cover each rule with links to the official gov.uk sources. Common questions "Is this shared with anyone?" No. Compliance reports go to your branch only. They are a service to you, not a reporting mechanism. "Does a finding unpublish my listing?" No - findings are advisory. You stay in control of your listings; the report just tells you what we found and why it matters. "We use a feed - do fixes in our CRM count?" Yes. Fix the wording or field in your CRM and the change flows through on the next feed import, and the next scan sees the corrected listing. This article describes how the Domovita scanner works and is general information, not legal advice. The underlying rules change - always check the current position on gov.uk or take professional advice for a specific case. Last reviewed: 14 June 2026. This is general guidance, not legal advice - always check the current gov.uk guidance.

4 min read 10 Jun 2026 Read more →
EA Articles

How Our Valuation Panel Works - Fair Lead Distribution for Estate Agents

Why We Built a Fairer System If you're an estate agent, you already know how the big portals handle valuation leads. A homeowner asks for a valuation, and their details get shared with agents - but who gets chosen? On the leading portals, the answer is often whoever pays the most. Agents have told us they feel the system is opaque, expensive, and stacked against smaller firms. We built Domovita's valuation panel to fix that. Our system uses weighted random allocation - a transparent, fair method that ensures every agent on the panel gets their share of leads over time, regardless of how much they spend. How It Works A homeowner uses our free valuation tool. They enter their postcode, property type, and number of bedrooms. Our system calculates an instant estimate using HM Land Registry sold prices, EPC data, and UK House Price Index trends. They request agent valuations. After seeing their estimate, the homeowner can request a proper, in-person valuation from local agents. They fill in their name, email, and phone number. We select up to 3 agents from our panel. Our system finds all active panel agents who cover that postcode area. If there are 3 or fewer, they all receive the lead. If there are more than 3, our weighted random algorithm selects 3. Each selected agent receives the homeowner's full contact details by email. Name, phone number, email address, property type, bedrooms, and our online estimate range - everything you need to pick up the phone and arrange a market appraisal. You contact the homeowner directly. There's no platform in the middle, no gatekeeping, no having to respond through our system first. The lead is yours to work. The Weighted Random Algorithm This is the key difference between Domovita and the big portals. Here's exactly how our allocation works: Every agent on the panel has a lead counter - a running total of how many leads they've received. When a new lead comes in, agents who have received fewer leads are given a higher weighting in the random selection. An agent with zero leads will always have a higher chance of being selected than one who's already received several. Over time, this naturally balances out - everyone gets roughly the same volume of leads. Think of it like a weighted lottery. If you've been unlucky in recent draws, your chances increase. If you've had a good run, your weighting drops slightly so others can catch up. The result is a system that's genuinely fair over weeks and months. Why Not Pure Round-Robin? A strict rotation (Agent A, then B, then C, then A again) sounds fair but creates problems. If Agent A is on holiday when a lead comes in, they miss their turn permanently. Our weighted random approach is more resilient - it self-corrects and doesn't penalise anyone for timing. What Makes This Different FeatureLeading PortalDomovita Agents per leadUp to 6Up to 3 How agents are selectedOpaque - suspected pay-to-winTransparent weighted random Cost to agentsPremium placement feesFree for agents Contact detailsOften gated through the platformFull details sent directly Commission or referral feeYesNone - 0% Can small independents compete?Difficult - budget mattersYes - same odds as everyone Only 3 Agents Per Lead We deliberately limit it to 3 agents per valuation lead. Here's why: Better for homeowners: 6 agents calling you is overwhelming. 3 is manageable - you can compare opinions without feeling hounded. Better for agents: You're competing with 2 others, not 5. That's much better odds of winning the instruction. Better conversion rates: Fewer agents means each one gets more attention from the homeowner, leading to better conversations and higher conversion. No Commission, No Referral Fee When you win an instruction through a Domovita valuation lead, the fee is 100% yours. We don't take a cut, we don't charge a referral fee, and we don't ask for a percentage of the sale price. The lead is free. The instruction is yours. How to Join Joining the Domovita Valuation Panel is free and takes about 2 minutes. You'll need: Your name and contact details Your company/branch name Your branch postcode The postcode prefixes you cover (e.g. BL1, BL2, BL3, M26) Once registered, you'll start receiving valuation leads from homeowners in your coverage area. There's no contract, no minimum term, and you can pause or update your coverage at any time. Join the Valuation Panel Questions? If you have questions about how the panel works or want to discuss it before signing up, get in touch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

4 min read 5 Apr 2026 Read more →
EA Articles

Understanding Branch Suspension vs Member Removal

Branch Suspension vs Member Removal Understanding the difference between suspending an entire branch and removing individual team members. Two Different Scenarios It's important to understand that branch suspension and individual member removal are distinct actions with different impacts: Action Scope Trigger Who It Affects Effect on Listings Branch Suspension Entire branch Policy violation or admin action All team members Cannot submit new properties; existing listings remain visible Member Removal Individual user Left company, let go, manual removal by admin/manager One person only Their listings stay with branch; they lose Estate Agent privileges Branch Suspension What Triggers Branch Suspension Policy issue: A policy condition needs resolving Verification lapse: e.g. Companies House status needs re-checking Admin action: Support team suspends branch for policy violations Manual suspension: Branch admin voluntarily pauses operations What Happens When a Branch is Suspended Branch status changes to `suspended` All team members lose ability to submit new properties Existing published listings remain visible on the site Team can still log in and view their properties Enquiries continue to be received Cannot invite new team members Cannot edit branch settings while suspended How to Restore a Suspended Branch Go to Branch Management Check the branch status panel Contact support to resolve the suspension Work with support to lift the suspension Once resolved, the branch reactivates All team members regain property submission ability During Suspension You'll see warning messages: "Branch suspended - cannot submit properties" "Contact branch administrator or support for help" Red banner on My Properties page Individual Member Removal Who Can Remove Members Branch Admins: Can remove anyone (managers, negotiators) except themselves Managers: Can remove negotiators only (not other managers or admins) Negotiators: Cannot remove anyone How to Remove a Team Member Go to Branch Management Find team member in the list Click "Remove" button next to their name Confirm removal in popup Member is removed immediately What Happens to the Removed Member Removed from `#__domovita_branch_members` table (or status set to 'removed') User group changed from "Estate Agents" to "Property Users" Loses all Estate Agent privileges: Cannot submit new properties Cannot access branch management Cannot see other team members Cannot use bulk operations Contact details no longer shown publicly Reverts to regular user (1 property limit, moderated submissions) What Happens to Their Listings Properties stay with the branch Listings remain published and visible `created_by` field still shows their user ID Other team members can still edit these properties Properties count towards branch quota Branch admin can reassign ownership if needed (contact support) Can They Be Re-Invited? Yes - send a new branch invite They regain Estate Agent privileges when they accept Access to previous listings restored Key Differences Summary Branch Suspension Temporary: Usually resolved once the flagged issue is cleared Affects everyone: All team members impacted equally External trigger: Often due to payment/admin issues outside team control Listings unaffected: All existing properties remain visible Reversible: Automatic reactivation on payment Member Removal Permanent: Requires new invite to rejoin Affects individual: Other team members unaffected Internal decision: Deliberate action by admin/manager Listings stay: Properties remain with branch, not person Reversible: Can re-invite, but requires acceptance Both Can Coexist Scenario Example: Branch has 5 team members Branch flagged for a policy issue → Branch suspended (all 5 lose submit ability) Meanwhile, one member leaves company → Individual removed Issue resolved → Branch reactivates Result: 4 remaining members can submit again; removed member still locked out Warning Messages "Branch suspended" Meaning: Branch is suspended Action: Contact support (if admin) or your branch admin "You are no longer a member of this branch" Meaning: You were individually removed Action: Contact branch admin if you believe this is an error "Access denied" Could mean: Either branch suspended OR you were removed Action: Check Branch Management page for details Best Practices For Branch Admins Communicate: Warn team before suspension due to planned downtime Document: Keep records of why members were removed Reassign: Transfer ownership of critical listings before removing key members Monitor: Set up payment alerts to prevent accidental suspension For Team Members Check status: If you can't submit, check Branch Management for suspension vs removal Respect roles: Only admins can resolve suspension issues Exit gracefully: Request removal formally when leaving company Troubleshooting "I can't submit properties - is it me or the branch?" Go to Branch Management Check the branch status panel: Red/warning status = Branch suspended Green/active status = You might be individually removed Check team member list: If you're not listed = Removed If you're listed but can't submit = Branch suspended "Branch shows active but I still can't submit" Try logging out and back in Try logging out and back in Clear browser cache Contact support with branch ID "Member removed by mistake - how to restore?" Branch admin sends new invite to same email address They accept invite Privileges restored (existing listings already still there)

5 min read 10 Mar 2026 Read more →
EA Articles

Handling Enquiries and Messages

Enquiries and Messaging System How to receive, view, and respond to buyer and tenant enquiries on Domovita. How Enquiries Work For Estate Agents When someone is interested in one of your properties: They see your agent name on the listing, but your email and phone are hidden They fill in an enquiry form with their name, email, phone (optional), and message They must tick a GDPR consent checkbox before submitting On submission, your contact details are revealed to that buyer You receive an email notification with the buyer details and their message Your Contact Details As a verified estate agent: Your name is always visible on your listings Your phone number and email are revealed to buyers only after they submit an enquiry form This gated approach captures buyer details (name, email, phone, message) for every enquiry All enquiries are logged in the system for record-keeping Accessing Your Messages Click the envelope icon in top navigation Or click your avatar → "Messages" Or navigate to: /messages Message Inbox Inbox Layout Left Panel: List of conversation threads Right Panel: Selected conversation messages Thread Info: Property thumbnail, buyer name, timestamp Thread List Features Unread Badge: Bold text + blue dot for new messages Property Preview: Small thumbnail of property being enquired about Last Message: Preview of most recent message Timestamp: When last message was sent Reading Messages Click a conversation thread in the list Conversation opens with chat-bubble style messages Messages are colour-coded: Grey bubbles: Messages from buyer Blue bubbles: Your replies Property details card shown at top (image, price, address) Quick link to view full property listing Replying to Enquiries Type your message in the text box at bottom Click "Send" or press Enter Message appears instantly in the thread Buyer receives email notification automatically Conversation stays organised in the same thread Message Features Link detection: URLs become clickable links Character limit: 2000 characters per message Email Notifications What Triggers Emails New enquiry received Reply to your message Follow-up from buyer Email Content Includes Sender name Property details (title, price, image) Full message text Link to reply directly on Domovita Message Badges and Counters Unread Counter Badge Appears on messages envelope icon in navigation Shows number of unread conversations Updates in real-time (no page refresh needed) Clears when you open and read messages Mark as Read/Unread Messages auto-mark as read when you open thread Click flag icon to manually mark as unread (for follow-up) Thread Management Deleting Threads Click "Delete" button Confirm deletion Thread removed from your inbox Buyer's copy unaffected (they still see their messages) Note: Cannot delete individual messages, only entire threads Reporting Abuse If you receive spam or abusive messages, contact support to report the issue. Spam Protection Domovita has built-in protections against spam: Honeypot: Hidden field catches bots Speed Trap: Forms submitted too quickly are flagged Duplicate Detection: Same message within 5 minutes blocked Rate Limiting: Max 10 messages per hour per user The Branch Enquiries Dashboard Alongside the message inbox, your branch has a dedicated Enquiries dashboard (Branch Management → "View all enquiries", or the Enquiries tab in your agent navigation). Every enquiry on your branch's listings appears here with tools the inbox doesn't have: Lead scores. Each enquiry gets a score out of 100 and a badge: Hot Lead (70+), Warm Lead (40-69) or Cold Lead (0-39). You can filter the list to just hot, warm or cold leads. Status workflow. Move each enquiry through New → Read → Replied → Converted → Closed with one click. Keeping statuses honest powers everything else on this page. Urgency colours. Cards change shade as an enquiry ages without a reply - highlighted when fresh (under an hour), warning colours as it approaches and passes the 8-hour service level, red once it has waited days. Response-time tracking. Replied enquiries show how fast you responded (e.g. "Replied in 2h"), and your dashboard shows your 7-day average against the 8-hour SLA. Log phone calls. The phone-enquiry logger records calls that came in directly (caller, property, notes) so your pipeline and lead-source reporting include them. Reply your way. Reply on Domovita (lands in the buyer's site inbox), by email, or call - whichever suits the enquiry. Saved Replies Open Saved Replies from your account menu to create up to 20 reusable reply templates (a label plus up to 2,000 characters). When replying to an enquiry, pick one from the "Select a saved reply" dropdown instead of typing the same viewing-times paragraph for the hundredth time. The list shows how often each template has been used. Automatic Follow-Ups If an enquiry goes unanswered, Domovita politely nudges the enquirer on your behalf - automatically at roughly 48 hours, 5 days and 14 days (3 nudges maximum). Follow-ups stop as soon as you mark the enquiry Replied, Converted or Closed - another reason to keep statuses up to date. Logged phone calls never trigger follow-ups. Best Practices Response Time Aim to respond within 1 hour during business hours Set auto-responder if on holiday/out of office Quick responses improve conversion rates Message Quality Be professional and courteous Answer all questions thoroughly Provide viewing availability times Include contact number in first reply Spell-check before sending Follow-Up If no response after 48 hours, send gentle follow-up Ask if they need additional information Suggest booking a viewing Don't be pushy - respect their timeline Privacy and Data Protection All messages are encrypted in transit (HTTPS) Only you and the buyer can see the conversation Messages are automatically deleted after 13 months to keep inboxes tidy Users can request deletion via GDPR rights Never share buyer contact details without permission Common Questions "Do deleted messages delete for both parties?" No - deleting a thread only removes it from YOUR inbox. The other person still has their copy. "Can I attach files to messages?" Not currently. Share links to documents via cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.). "How do I stop getting enquiries on a sold property?" Change the property status to "Sold" - this disables the enquiry form. Troubleshooting Not receiving email notifications Check spam/junk folder Verify email address in Account Settings Contact support if emails still not arriving Unread badge not clearing Refresh the page (F5) Click into the thread and scroll through messages Clear browser cache if issue persists Cannot send message - error shown Check message is under 2000 characters Ensure you're logged in (session may have expired) Try refreshing the page Contact support with error details

6 min read 10 Mar 2026 Read more →
EA Articles

Managing Your Property Listings

Managing Your Properties How to view, edit, publish, and unpublish your property listings. Accessing My Properties Log into Domovita Click your avatar in top navigation Select "My Properties" Or navigate to: /myproperties Property List View What You See All properties belonging to your branch Thumbnail, title, price, location Status badge (Published, Unpublished, Featured, etc.) Quick action buttons (Edit, View, Delete) Filtering Your Listings Sale/Rent toggle: Show only sales or rentals Status filter: Published, Unpublished, Featured, All Search: Find by title, address, or reference Sort: By date, price, title, status Property Status Badges StatusColorMeaning PublishedGreenLive on site, visible to buyers UnpublishedGrayNot visible publicly, saved as draft FeaturedGoldPublished + featured badge, premium placement Under OfferOrangeOffer accepted, still marketed SSTCBlueSold Subject to Contract Let AgreedPurpleRental agreed, pending move-in SoldRedSale completed, archived LetTealRental active, tenant moved in Editing a Property Find the property in your list Click "Edit" button Form opens with all current details pre-filled Make your changes (price, description, images, etc.) Click "Save Changes" Updates appear on live listing within seconds What You Can Edit All property details (price, description, features) Images (add, remove, reorder, change primary) Status (Under Offer, SSTC, etc.) Media (virtual tour URL, video URL) What You Cannot Edit Created By: Owner cannot be changed via frontend Branch ID: Property stays with original branch Feed Source: Feed-imported properties maintain their source link Publishing and Unpublishing Unpublish a Property Click "Unpublish" button on property card Property is hidden from public listings immediately Remains in your "My Properties" list Property URL returns 404 (not found) to visitors Use when: Property is temporarily off-market Re-Publish a Property Find unpublished property in your list Click "Publish" button Property goes live instantly Appears in search results and maps again Bulk Operations Estate Agents Only: Select checkboxes next to multiple properties Choose action from bulk menu: Publish Selected Unpublish Selected Delete Selected Confirm action All selected properties updated at once Deleting Properties Soft Delete (Recommended) Click "Delete" button Property is trashed (state = -2) Hidden from public site and your "My Properties" list Can be restored within 30 days by contacting support After 30 days, permanently deleted by scheduled task Hard Delete (Admin Only) Permanent deletion only available via admin backend Removes property, images, and all related data Cannot be undone Property Sale Statuses Changing Status (Sales) Edit the property Find "Sale Status" dropdown Select: Available: On market, no offer Under Offer: Offer accepted, still marketed SSTC: Sold Subject to Contract Sold: Sale completed Save changes Badge appears on property card and detail page Changing Status (Rentals) Available: Ready to let Let Agreed: Tenant agreed, awaiting move-in Let: Tenant moved in, active tenancy Featured Listings Upgrading to Featured Find property in My Properties Click "Upgrade to Featured" button Choose featured type: Area Featured: featured in your local area Homepage Featured: featured sitewide, including the homepage carousel Choose monthly or a one-off payment (1 to 12 months) - the price for your area is shown before checkout Complete Stripe checkout Featured badge appears within minutes Managing Featured Subscriptions Go to Branch Management → Featured Listings View active featured listings Cancel anytime (featured status ends at period end) Viewing Your Listing Click "View" button on any property Opens property detail page as buyers see it Check how images, description, features display Verify map location is correct Test virtual tour and video embeds Property Performance Coming Soon: View count per listing Enquiry count Favourite count Days on market Troubleshooting "Property not submitting?" There is no listing limit for agents - listing is free and unlimited Check the required fields are complete and try again, or contact support "Property still not submitting?" Make sure you are logged in as a verified agent Listing is free for agents - there is nothing to renew "Access denied" when editing You can only edit properties from your own branch Contact support if you believe this is an error Property not appearing in search Check property is Published (green badge) Verify postcode is valid and geocoded Check property type and price are within normal ranges Wait 5 minutes for search index to update

4 min read 10 Mar 2026 Read more →
  1. Manual Property Submission Guide
  2. Property Feed Import - Getting Started
  3. Listing on Domovita: Free for Agents
  4. How the Invite System Works

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