Signing the agreement

The service agreement is a legal contract. Today, Lumos does not offer online signing of the agreement within its interface. This page explains how the signature happens in practice, and what you expect from the client.

How Lumos prepares the agreement

When you send the quote, Lumos attaches the agreement PDF to the email:

Pre-filled with your identity (business, affiliations, numbers), the client’s (name, address), the property (address, type), the inspection date, and the amount.
As a PDF — one to several pages depending on the template (the AIBQ pre-filled form is typically seven pages, for example).
With possible annexes that you checked (Annex B Divided co-ownership, performance attestation).

The client receives this PDF as an attachment to the quote email.

How the client signs — two practical options

Option 1 — Electronic signature with Adobe Acrobat (or equivalent)

Adobe Acrobat (free in its Reader version) offers a Fill & Sign tool that lets you apply an electronic signature directly to a PDF, without printing. This is today the most common method:

The client opens the PDF in Acrobat Reader.
They choose Fill & Sign (or equivalent in their PDF reader).
They draw or type their signature, add it to the relevant places.
They save the signed PDF.
They send the signed PDF back to you by email.

Other equivalent tools work: Preview on macOS, Microsoft Edge’s PDF reader, mobile signing apps, etc.

Option 2 — Print, handwritten signature, scanned return

The client can also print the agreement, sign it by hand, then:

Scan it and email it to you.
Photograph it and send it to you by message.
Hand it to you in person at the inspection.

This route is legally valid, and some clients prefer it.

What you do on your side

Once you receive the signed agreement from the client:

Keep it in your archives (your email, your client folder, your archiving system). Lumos does not automatically archive the signed version that comes back to you.
Update your internal record — for example by uploading the signed PDF to the Lumos project via the document upload area (see Start an inspection with a quote).
Confirm with the client that you received the document before the visit.

The signed agreement should ideally be in your possession before the visit. In case of disagreement or litigation, it is this document that proves the conditions were accepted. If exceptional circumstances force you to inspect before signature, document the context and obtain the signature as soon as possible.

Status displayed in Lumos

On the inspection page, the agreement appears with the label “Attached on DD/MM/YYYY” (the email send date). Lumos does not track the agreement’s signature status since signing happens outside the application. It is up to you to keep your internal file up to date when the signed version comes back.

Online signing in Lumos — roadmap

Online signing of the agreement directly in Lumos is on the product roadmap. When this feature ships, you will be able to:

Send a signature link to the client.
See the signature status in real time in Lumos.
Automatically archive the signed version in the project.

For now, only the quote can be signed and approved online in Lumos. The agreement remains on the Acrobat / printing channel.

Special cases

Multiple clients (couple, indivision)

When the agreement involves multiple clients (for example a buying couple), all clients must sign. The agreement is then sent to a single primary email, and the primary client coordinates signatures with the other parties before sending the complete document back to you.

Remote client

If the client is abroad or unavailable before the visit, electronic signature via Acrobat remains the fastest route. The signature can also be made by a designated representative (notary, broker, parent) if a power of attorney provides for it — discuss with the client if in doubt.

In-person signature on inspection day

If a prior signature could not be obtained, some inspectors have the agreement signed on site before starting the inspection. This is not ideal practice (the client could not read the agreement at leisure) but remains a last-resort option.