How to spot an IRV valuation
Picture the scene: a customer goes into a retail jeweller's shop and asks, "I need a valuation, are you registered?"
The person behind the counter replies, "Yes, of course." But when the customer goes on to say, "Are you an IRV?" or, "Are you NAJ registered?", we know that some stay that they are - when they're not.
The customer will assume they are telling the truth and ask them to produce a valuation for you, their insurer. We hope that you will check that they are by following a few simple guidelines.
To help you identify an IRV's valuation it should:
- Be typed! We do not permit our IRVs to give customers handwritten valuations.
- Have the valuer's full name printed on the schedule (close to the signature).
- They must also put their personal IRV number either after or under their name. It will consist of five digits preceded by the initials "IRV", for example IRV92908 (the last two digits represent the year in which the valuer was elected).
- They will state NAJ Institute Registered Valuer Fellow or Member after their name.
- They are also encouraged to place an MIRV or FIRV logo sticker on their schedule.
Some IRVs also use an IRV embosser. We know that Trading Standards take a dim view of those who misrepresent themselves and have successfully prosecuted people passing themselves off as NAJ members/IRVs when this is not the case.
Details of Members and Fellows of the Institute can be found on our Find a Valuer page but if you can't find someone and would like to double check (in case we haven't had a chance to update our database) you are most welcome to telephone 029 2081 3615 to confirm the status of a valuer.
The Institute is proud of the reputation it has built up over the years (we are celebrating our Silver Jubilee this year - 2012) and does all it can to ensure that this is not tarnished by those who purport to be what they are not.
We ask you to check that if a valuer says they are an IRV — that they are — and let us know if they say they are when they're not!