Virtual technology helps Midland estate agent raise at least £1,000 for NHS

By Nicky Godding

15 April 2020

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A Midland estate agent’s use of virtual technology has helped it raise at least £1,000 for the NHS as a “thank you” for its efforts tackling COVID-19.

Nicol & Co, which has branches in Droitwich Spa and Worcester, has been carrying out valuations by live video for anyone thinking of selling their home.

And for every instruction signed up the company is donating £100 to a special fund to assist the local NHS in its battle against the pandemic.

With ten new instructions signed and four more contracts out for signatures since launching the initiative, Nicol & Co is set to donate at least £1,000 to the fund, with more to come if further instructions are signed by 21 April.

Matt Nicol, managing director of Nicol & Co, said: “This is a great way for us to keep doing the kind of personal business we always strive to provide whilst respecting the measures needed to beat COVID-19.

“We’re all so grateful to our NHS for what they’re doing, so it made sense for this activity to benefit the health service at the same time.

“Since pledging to donate £100 to the NHS for every instruction made by 21 April, we’re been chuffed to bits that ten new instructions have been signed, plus there are hopefully more in the pipeline.”

It takes just 60 seconds to use Nicol & Co’s instant valuation service online, and after that sellers can get the company’s expert opinion to know more via the full virtual valuation.

Mr Nicol added: “We’ve always been at the forefront of technology and were already using virtual tours in our operations, so carrying out valuations by live video is very much business as usual for us.

“With people self-isolating, anyone wanting to sell their homes should know that there’s a captive market out there sitting in their own living rooms looking at things like ‘homes to buy’ on the internet.

“Modern media communication means that house moving plans can continue as normal as people prepare for when the pandemic is over.”

All money raised will be donated to the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity’s special fund to help the NHS tackle COVID-19, which has already seen nearly £78,000 raised here www.justgiving.com/campaign/helpworcsacute.

For more details about remote valuations, contact Nicol & Co on 01905 799072 or via [email protected].

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.