| You will receive your HouseWeb Home Information Pack in PDF format sent straight to your email address as soon as it is complete. You can also order just an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for
£97.75 (includes VAT) here.
Latest News:
From
6th April 2009 there are a couple of changes to the regulation. Your Home
Information Pack will need to be available from the first day your property
is put on the market.
The second is to the HIP itself, which will
now contain a new Property Information Questionnaire.
The PIQ, which you will need to complete, will provide a summary of key
information about your property in one place. This compulsory one-stop
checklist gives buyers information they need to know before making any
decision. First-time buyers, with little experience of buying a home, will
find this particularly helpful.
The PIQ aims to reduce unnecessary delays
caused by information coming to light later in the home selling and buying
process. By ensuring that common questions are answered at the beginning,
and before sellers or buyers invest heavily in a transaction, unwanted
surprises can be avoided later on.
These changes are being introduced to HIPs
so that better information is available from the first day a property is put
on the market, helping to inform decisions for sellers and buyers, and
helping to make the home selling and buying process more straightforward.
Quick Guide to HIPs implementation*
| No of Bedrooms |
Date |
Action |
When can I start marketing my property? |
| All Homes |
If marketed on
or after 14th Dec 2007 |
You must order
a HIP |
Once you have
ordered your HIP |
| All Homes |
If marketed on
or after 6th April 2009 |
You must order
a HIP |
Once you have
ordered and received your HIP as well as completing a PIQ |
| 3 Bedrooms |
If marketed continuously
before 10th Sept
2007 |
No HIP required.EPC required from 1st Oct 08 |
|
| 4 Bedrooms + |
If marketed continuously
before 1st Aug 2007 |
No HIP required. EPC required from 1st Oct 08 |
|
*Subject to change at any time by the
Government.
What is a HIP?
The
government have introduced HIPs in an attempt to improve the process of buying
and selling property in England and Wales and to improve the environment through
energy awareness. A Home Information Pack includes essential information
about a property which was previously not made available to the buyer until
later in the process. It also includes an Energy Performance Certificate,
rating each property, and highlighting ways to save energy. By making this
information available upfront, the intention is to speed up the process of
buying and selling property. A Home Condition Report (similar to a survey) can
be included as an optional extra, as can guarantees and warranties.
Are there any properties that don't need a HIP?
From
1st August 2008 all properties in England & Wales with 4 or more
bedrooms need a HIP,
3 bedrooms since 10th September 2008 and all other properties since the 14th
December 2007.
There are also a number of cases where a HIP is not required at all.
- Properties where there is no marketing (e.g. sale to member of the family)
- Non-residential properties
- Seasonal and holiday accommodation
- Mixed sales (e.g. shop with flat)
- Right to buy sales
- Sales of portfolios of properties
- Properties not being sold with completely vacant possession
- Unsafe properties and properties to be demolished.
How long will it take?
Once your HIP is ordered your property can go live on the market (i.e. you will not have to wait for the HIP to be complete). It will typically take 7 working days to prepare, dependent on how quickly the Energy Assessor can gain access to your property. The HIP will be made available to you as a PDF file once it is complete so
you can then send it to serious prospective buyers.
You will find more information on the Government website:
http://www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk
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