Background to Home Information Packs (HIPs)

Home Information Packs will be required for all one and two bedroom properties with effect from the 14 December 2007.

From 1st August, 2007 it has been compulsory for all homeowners in England and Wales with a property of 4 bedrooms or more to order a Home Information Pack before putting their home up for sale and to make a copy of the pack available to any prospective buyer upon request.

From 10th September this has been extended to 3 bedroom homes and on a phased implementation basis (to be decided on by the government) will over time extend out to all homes.

Communities and Local Government (CLG) say that Home Information Packs will directly address:

• Consumer dissatisfaction - nearly nine out of 10 consumers are dissatisfied with the present process;
  
  
• Lack of transparency - at present key information about the property only becomes available after terms of the sale have been agreed;
  
  
• High transaction failure rate - 28 per cent of property sales fail after terms have been agreed;
  
  
• High costs of failed transactions for consumers - over £350m lost a year;
  
  
• Slow transaction process - twice the European average;
  
  
• Uncertainty - 60 per cent of property sales are in chains. Delay or failure in one has a knock-on effect through the chain.

Home Information Packs should help you reduce

1. the times it takes to sell your house
   
   
2. the chance of your sale falling through
   
   
3. wasted costs
   
   
4. the stress involved in the process
   
   

What are the key elements of a Home Information Pack?

Key contents of the pack:-

• An index (i.e. a list of the contents of the Pack)
  
  
• A Sale Statement (summarising terms of sale)
  
  
• Evidence of title
  
  
• Standard searches (i.e. local authority enquiries and a drainage and water search)
  
  
• An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
  
  
• Where appropriate, commonhold information (including a copy of the commonhold community statement)
  
  
• Where appropriate, leasehold information (including a copy of the lease, information on service charges and insurance)
  
  
• Where appropriate, a New Homes Warranty
  
  
• Where appropriate, a report on a home that is not physically complete
  

Additional items may be added such as a Home Condition Report or Environmental Search.

How do I order a HIP?

Go to www.easierhips.com and complete an online instruction form for a Home Information Pack or call 0845 4600 400.

What is AHIPPs?

The Association of Home Information Pack Providers. AHIPPS will administer a code of conduct for Home Information Pack Providers.

Easier2move are full members of AHIPPS and compliant with the HIP Code.