Home Information Packs

Home Information Packs (HIPs) are now required for ALL properties being sold in England and Wales from 14 December 2007.  Up to 31st May 2008 properties can be marketed as soon as a HIP has been commissioned - so you don’t have to wait until you have received it! They are designed to help the buying/selling process and contain important information about the property being sold.

What is in a HIP?

The Home Information Pack must include all documents that are normally required when a property is bought or sold.  There are compulsory and optional documents.  The documents that are optional will add value to prospective buyers and will provide them with reassurance.

The compulsory documents are:

• An index (i.e. list of contents)
• Energy Performance Certificate
• Sale Statement (summarising terms of the sale)
• Evidence of Title/Ownership
• Standard Searches (Local authority enquiries, drainage and water search)
• Leasehold information (if applicable)

The optional documents are:

• A home condition report
• A legal summary
• Other searches relevant to the area
• A home use form
• A home contents form and additional relevant information

Do all properties need a HIP?

Most properties from 1 – 4 bedrooms or more will now require a HIP. The exceptions are as follows:

• Non-residential premises
• Mixed commercial and residential premises
• Sales of seasonal and holiday accommodation
• Sales of tenanted properties
• Private sales where the property is not marketed
• Unsafe (uninhabitable) properties and properties for demolition
• Sales of portfolios of properties
• New homes built to Part L of the 2006 Building regulations will be excluded from the HIP duties
  until April 2008

Own your HIP

We are able to prepare a competitively priced Home Information Pack for our clients and will support and advise you generally. Then should you wish to change estate agents at any time during the sale of your property you can just take it with you without incurring the cost of ordering a further HIP.

For further information please contact Sara Hull on the details below.

01376 321311

Send an email