Home Information Packs

What is a Home Information Pack (HIP)?

A HIP is a bound document containing almost everything a buyer / lenders solicitors will require in order to exchange contracts on the purchase of a property. This includes the Terms of Sale, Evidence of Title, Standard Local Authority Water Searches, Planning Consent and an Energy Performance Certificate. Other information can include warranties, guarantees and other searches.

The newest introduction to the HIP is the New Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ). Details in the PIQ will include Flood Risk Information, Gas and Electrical Safety, Service Charges, Structural Damage and Parking Arrangements to help buyers make decisions on whether to view and purchase a property. This will be introduced in to the HIP from April 2009. Currently a purchaser will commission and pay for a HIP and then be able to start marketing their property for up to 28 days before the pack is available, meaning some buyers may lose out by making decisions about purchases without the benefit of seeing the pack. From 6 April 2009 First Day Marketing will be introduced ensuring buyers have certainty that the HIP will be available as soon as a property comes on to the market. At M & P Estates we are continuingly reviewing our HIP solution to our clients. We believe it is not just value for money, but providing an effective and efficient service that enables us to provide our clients with a HIP in the shortest possible time so that they can get their property on the market.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE (EPC)

EPC’s are part of the Home Information Pack. M & P Estates continue to strive to improve its personal, friendly and efficient service and are, therefore, able to provide you with an accessible Energy Assessor to complete the Energy Assessment on your property which is a mandatory part of the Home Information Pack. This will provide our customers with further guidance and assistance ensuring the sale of your property flows as smoothly as is possible.

An EPC, as stated, is a mandatory part of the Home Information pack. This is required and is part of the new Housing Act Legislation implemented from 1 August 2007 by the Government. This means that every residential property in the UK, which is to be placed on the housing market, requires a complete HIP, of which part is an EPC.

Rental Properties

From 1 October 2008 Landlords rental properties now require by law to provide a valid Energy Performance Certificate which should be available on request to any prospective tenants before a contract can be drawn. Therefore, M & P Estates will be able to provide this service in addition to marketing and/or managing your rental property. The EPC provides your property with a standardised energy rating from A to G and it will provide you with a list of recommendations and improvements. These will help you to make informal decisions about cost effective measures helping you to make your home more energy efficient, save you money, increase your energy rating and reduce your personal carbon footprint on the planet.

Please contact us for more information.