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HIPS
Newsflash
The Government has
announced the suspension of Home Information Packs with
immediate effect from 21 May 2010.
Homes marketed
for sale on or after 21 May 2010 will no longer require
a Home Information Pack (HIP).
The Energy
Performance Certificate (EPC) will be retained.
Sellers will still be required to commission, but won’t
need to have received an EPC before marketing their
property
Buyers and Home
Information Packs
From 6th April 2009 the
seller or their estate agent will not be allowed to
market a property (unless exempt - see above) without a
HIP being available. If you are interested in buying a
property ask the seller or his estate agent to provide
you with a copy of the HIP. You are entitled to receive
an e mail or web-link to the HIP for free. If you want a
paper copy of the HIP the seller or his agent are
entitled to charge you a reasonable amount for providing
a paper copy and for postage. The seller or his agent
must make the HIP available to buyers within 14 days of
a request to do so. The seller or his agent have the
right to refuse to supply a HIP to a person who they do
not consider to be a serious buyer for the property.
The HIP contains
information that may assist you in making your decision
to buy the property. It will include information on how
energy efficient the property is, who owns the property
and whether there are any restrictive or positive
covenants on the property that would affect your use of
it. The HIP must also contain the local authority and
water authority searches. These are valid for 6 months
and if they are still current your solicitor will be
able to use them for free saving you the cost of having
the searches made again.
Updating the HIP
Provided the property is
continuously marketed there is no obligation upon the
Seller to update the HIP or the contents of the HIP. If
the property is taken off the market because a sale has
been agreed then provided it is returned to the market
within 28 days there is still no need to provide a new
or updated HIP. There is an obligation on a new home
builder to upgrade the Predicted Energy Assessment to an
Energy Performance Certificate once the property is
completed.
For further information relating to the Home Information
Pack visit the Government web-site
www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk
For frequently asked
questions about HIPS - click here
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