Standards
Standards of Practice
The operational standards that govern how Provenance conducts every engagement.
The People Who Visit Your Home
Engagements are conducted by credentialed appraisers. The firm contracts with members of the Canadian Personal Property Appraisers Group (CPPAG), the International Society of Appraisers (ISA), the American Society of Appraisers (ASA), or appraisers with senior experience at major Canadian auction houses including Heffel, Cowley Abbott, Waddington's, Dupuis, and Sotheby's Canada. Credentials are verified through the issuing organization before any engagement.
Each contractor signs a written code of conduct before their first visit. The code covers professional discretion, in-home protocol, and the firm's binding independence from auction houses, dealers, and other third parties.
Written Terms Before Any Visit
Every engagement begins with a written letter setting out the scope of work, the fixed price, the timeline, the homeowner's rights during the engagement, and the firm's responsibilities. The letter is signed before the visit is scheduled. Nothing further is billed beyond the agreed price.
The engagement letter also confirms the privacy and data handling commitments described below, and the firm's responsibility for the conduct of the contractor during the visit.
How the Visit Is Conducted
The contractor arrives at the appointed time, presents identification, and works methodically through the home with the homeowner's permission to access each space. The homeowner may join the contractor, may leave them to work, or may remain in the home unobtrusively as they prefer.
Items are photographed for documentation purposes only. Photographs are taken with the homeowner's awareness. Items are not moved unless necessary for documentation, and only with the homeowner's explicit permission. Drawers, closets, safes, and storage areas are not opened unless the homeowner has indicated they want those areas documented. Personal documents, correspondence, and family papers are not handled at all.
The homeowner may stop the engagement at any point. No values are quoted on site. No pressure is applied regarding what to do with any item. The contractor's role is to document and to listen.
Privacy and Data Handling
All customer information, photographs, and inventory data are stored on encrypted systems with access limited to the contractor assigned to that engagement, the firm's principal, and authorized administrative staff. Data is never shared with third parties, never used for marketing, and never disclosed except where required by law.
Inventory data and photographs are retained for twelve months following report delivery to support the homeowner's questions or follow-up requests, and are then securely deleted unless the homeowner has specifically requested longer retention.
Structural Independence
The firm receives no fees, commissions, or referral payments from auction houses, dealers, charities, junk haulers, or any third party. The only revenue Provenance receives is the homeowner's fee for documentation and, if requested, for Concierge orchestration.
This independence is contractually binding for all contractors. Recommendations in the report are based on current resale market data, dealer pricing, and channel-specific demand, not on referral relationships or commercial arrangements. The independence is the structural condition that allows the recommendations to reflect the homeowner's actual situation rather than the firm's commercial interest.
If Something Goes Wrong
Incidents during in-home documentation are rare in this category, but the firm's responsibility is clear. Any damage to property during a visit is reported immediately to the homeowner and to the firm. Any concern raised by the homeowner during or after the engagement is escalated directly to the firm's principal. The engagement letter sets out the firm's responsibility in the event of any incident.
The firm carries appropriate commercial and professional liability coverage. Specific coverage details are confirmed in the engagement letter and certificates of insurance are available on request.
Direct Communication
Enquiries about an engagement, the firm, or any aspect of the standards described here are handled personally. The first conversation is brief and unhurried. The firm's principal is available by telephone or email throughout an engagement and afterward.