VAS Panel has expanded its list of valuation specialisms by 135% to help fine-tune selection from its valuation firms database.

The change follows consultation with lenders, brokers and valuers and increases the number of categories to 47 from 20, covering airports to vineyards and advertising hoardings to tourist attractions, alongside the standard classifications.

In addition, in light of the increased activity in the HMO sector, the business has created two options with (HMO) Small covering up to six tenants and (HMO) Large for seven tenants or more.

Andrew Murdoch, valuation panel director at VAS Panel, said: “We constantly assess our panel management system to look for improvements, and an augmentation in categories very much follows the ever increasing scope of the specialist finance market.

“In particular, being able to utilise the property specialisms from our national database of valuation firms and being able to be more specific with our HMO valuations will really support our lender clients and their brokers partners.”