Home Information Pack (HIP)

The Home Information Pack (HIP) contains documents with information about a property for sale - from 1st June 2007 it will be a mandatory requirement. Stratford Property can provide advice to sellers on what should be included in their HIP's.

You can find a full briefing on the Governments web site located at: http://www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk/home.aspx

The new law will require all people selling residential property to obtain a Home Information Pack before they put their property on the market. The HIP will need to be available on request to all buyers.

The contents of the Home Information Pack will be in two separate categories, these are Home Reports and Legal Documentation. If you are selling a leasehold property there will be some additional documents required. It's important to note that not all documents will be mandatory however most are required to exchange contracts and then complete a sale.

The following are a list of the standard documents in a Home Information Pack.

  • Terms of sale
  • Evidence of title
  • Standard searches
  • Warranties and guarantees
  • Planning consents and agreements
  • Building control certificates
  • Sellers Property Information Form
  • Energy Efficiency Report
  • Home Condition Report

Leasehold

  • Copy of the lease
  • Service charge accounts
  • Building insurance policy details and payment receipts
  • Regulations made by the landlord or management company
  • Memorandum and articles of the landlord or management company

Exclusions

Some properties will be exempt from having an HIP. These include:

  • Properties in Northern Ireland
  • Properties in Scotland
  • Private sales (for example to a family member or friend)
  • Properties sold with tenants
  • Shops and commercial property
  • New houses with a NHBC or similar warranty will not require a survey
  • Property with a lease of less than 21 years to run

Home Condition Report (HCR)

The HCR will not be compulsory but can be included voluntarily. It is designed to provide information on the condition of the property which is similar to Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors survey. It will also include an independent valuation.

This information will be stored on the web (in a secure location) and will be accessible by estate agents, brokers, buyers, sellers and mortgage lenders. The HCR cannot be more than three months old when the property is sold.

The report will list key defects and grade them according to their seriousness, providing an explanation of poor grading where appropriate. HCRs will be lodged on a secure central government database which will be accessible by mortgage lenders, conveyancers, estate agents, brokers, buyers and sellers.

HCRs must be no more than 3 months old at the time of marketing the property and will remain valid until a house is sold or another report commissioned.

Energy Efficiency Report (EER)

As with all domestic appliances there is an energy rating. This is now being applied to property using the same system and scale. The more energy efficient the home the higher the rating which would also indicate lower bills and emissions. You can see a sample energy rating certificate by clicking here.

Home Improvement Pack Costs

It is estimated that the average HIP will cost approximately £450 through a company such as ourselves here at Stratford Property. This does not include the optional 'Home Condition Report'. On average an HIP takes around 1 to 2 weeks to put together.

For more information on HIP's please contact us here at Stratford Property - Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwickshire's leading estate agent.