Home Information Pack (H.I.P) explained

Do you need one?

The Government now requires owners of properties with a minimum of three bedrooms to provide a Home Information Pack (H.I.P) including an energy saving certificate when selling.

You don’t need a H.I.P now if:

• Your 4 bedroom property was on the market with an agent before the 1st August 2007
• Your 3 bedroom property was on the market with an agent before the 10th September 2007
• Your property has a maximum of 2 bedrooms

Any property falling into the above categories will not have to buy a H.I.P until January 2008 at which time all properties will require one.

What is a Home Information Pack?

More commonly known as a H.I.P the pack contains a varierty of legal documents about a property being offered for sale including an energy rating certificate.

Home owners are required to provide a H.I.P for buyers when a property of put onto the Market ‘For Sale’.

Initially applying to minimum of 3 bedroom houses, the government plans to extend this to the wide market by January 2008.

Home Information Packs are required when you ‘market’ the property y any method, so even if you are selling the property privately you still require a H.I.P

What must a standard H.I.P contain?

The main documents included consist of an Energy Rating certificate and other documents which are required to exchange contracts on the property. The H.I.P. will not include a home condition report (building survey)

Main documents

• Energy efficiency report
• Terms of the sale
• Evidence of title
• Standard searches
• Planning consents, agreements, building control certificates
• Sellers property information form
• Warranties and guarantees

If you have any questions about HIPS please contact us on 01978 291345