'HIP' requirement suspended in England and Wales

21 May 2010

The new UK Government have announced that the requirement to provide Home Information Packs (HIPs) has been suspended for homes put on the market in England and Wales from today. Home Information Packs were controversially introduced in 2007, just as the housing market began to slow. It was hoped that the packs would make the process of buying and selling easier as just one survey would have to be done on the property rather than several if there was more than one potential buyer.

The new Government felt that the requirement to provide the packs was ‘strangling’ the housing market by making it more expensive to put a house on the market.

The new proposals will not affect the Home Report, the Scottish equivalent of the HIP.

England and Wales’s Home Information Packs contained a Property Questionnaire, Evidence of Title, Local Searches, a Drainage and Water Search and an Energy Performance Certificate whilst the Scottish Home Report contains a Property Questionnaire, a Single Survey, a Valuation and an Energy Performance Certificate. The Energy Performance Certificate is the only part of the HIP which will still be required for properties placed on the market from today.

The Scottish Report has proved more popular than the English equivalent with buyers finding the information provided by them more useful and there is no indication that the Scottish Government will follow Westminster’s example. 

If you wish to know more about Home Reports, Inksters produced a video to mark their introduction in 2008 which may be of interest. If you are considering putting your house on the market, Inksters dynamic approach to Estate Agency can give your property the best chance of selling. Please contact our Brian Inkster on 0141 229 0880 or send Brian an e-mail to find out how we can help you.
 

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