Amos Residential Sales

Home Information Packs (HIPs)

Properties marketed for sale in England and Wales will now need a Home Information Pack (HIP), which includes a home energy rating. Currently, any property that was already on the market on the relevant commencement date does not need to have a HIP.

These dates are as follows:

Four Bedrooms And Above Properties - 1st August 2007
Three Bedrooms And Above Properties - 10th September 2007
Studio, One And Two Bedroom Properties - 14th December 2007

Amos has been at the forefront of developments to ensure that the new processes can be implemented as quickly and easily as possible.

Do you need a Pack?

You do NOT need a Home Information Pack for:

Properties where there is no marketing (e.g. sale to member of your family)
Non-residential properties
Properties subject to a condition limiting their use to occupation for less than 11 months per year or holiday accommodation
Mixed sales (e.g. shop with flat)
Right to buy and similar sales
Sales of portfolios of properties
Properties not being sold with completely vacant possession
Unsafe properties and properties to be demolished.

What will the Pack contain?

An Index
An Energy Performance Certificate
A Sale Statement - describing the property being sold
Evidence of Title - official copies of Registered Title or copies of the Deeds
The Local Authority, water and drainage searches
New Homes Warranty (where appropriate)

How will the new process work?

Having been instructed to market your home, we will arrange for the pack contents to be assembled. This process will normally take about five days.

The HIP will be assembled online and you will have access to the HIP on our website. Buyers will be able to download copies.

Our staff will be able to explain the content of the pack to you and discuss any issues which may be highlighted and how best to address them.

We will also be able to advise your buyer on the contents of the HIP and ensure that the offer you receive is based on the upfront information it contains.

The cost of your HIP also can include your sale conveyancing (subject to using a Team solicitor).

What will a HIP need to contain?

The HIP will contain all of the documents and searches usually supplied to a buyer as the sale progresses. These are now, however, provided in advance by the vendor at the time the property is first marketed and before a sale offer is agreed. The HIP will also contain a new type of report stating how energy efficient the property is. This will be called an Energy Performance Certificate. These are all mandatory contents of the HIP.

In addition the HIP can also include an optional home condition report (HCR) The report is only concerned with construction defects and building condition. Home condition Reports must be complete objective and satisfy relevant codes of practice and standards These were also to be mandatory but the Government have now decided they may be regarded as an optional extra at least for the time being.

Can I sell my home without a HIP?

Whether selling privately or through an estate agent, all properties put on the market for sale on or after the dates mentioned must have a HIP by law. You cannot market your home, even informally, without a HIP.

How long will it take to compile my HIP?

We have access to a solution driven by innovative technology and underwritten by service guarantees. For a registered freehold title we would expect to complete the HIP within five days of receiving your instruction to sell.

Does That include the Home Condition Inspection, if required?

Yes, the HCR will now be an optional extra which we can supply if required. Unlike many other independent estate agents Team agents have access to a network of fully accredited Home Condition Inspectors who have all agreed to work within a strict service standard and to provide seven day a week cover.

What are these changes intended to achieve?

The intention of the legislation is that any potential buyers of any property coming to the market after the dates mentioned will have access to a pack containing all of the information they or their advisers may need to see before an offer is made and accepted. All apparent defects will be declared, all issues aired and all problems identified i.e. more transparency from day one with all sales agreed on a fully informed basis.

How do I obtain a HIP?

If you are intending to use us then the answer is simple. We will do everything for you as part of our service to you.

How much will all this cost?

The cost of the Home Information Pack is £250.00 plus vat.

What are the advantages of including a HCR now that it is NOT compulsory?

The HCR will be available at slightly higher cost than the basic HIP, probably another £200 or so. The HCR will identify for the seller before he commences marketing his property whether or not there are any defects which need to be addressed or taken into acount when setting the selling price. The report may also help the agent to achieve a better price or ensure any offers that are made are done so on the basis of the contents of the report with no nasty surprises further down the line. This could definitely prove to be money well spent.