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HOME INFORMATION PACKS are here!
As of 1 August, every home put on the market with four or more bedrooms needs a Home Information Pack. The Pack includes an Energy Performance Certificate, containing advice on how to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills. Also included are documents such as a sale statement, searches and evidence of title. This is the first stage of Home Information Packs.
On 17 August, it was announced the next phase of the roll-out of Home Information Packs. This means that homes with 3 or more bedrooms marketed for sale from 10 September will require a HIP.
What do I need to do?
You don’t have to do anything, we do it for you.
The person responsible for marketing a property (in most cases, the estate agent) must have commissioned a Home Information Pack by the time that the property is on the market. As soon as the Energy Performance Certificate (a compulsory part of the Pack), is produced the “responsible person” must produce a Pack * and provide potential buyers with a copy of the Pack, or any document requested from it. In most cases, this period is 14 days after the date of the request.
Note: The ability to market without a Pack is a temporary arrangement and will only last until 31 December 2007.
What's in a Home Information Pack?
The Home Information Pack contains important information that buyers and sellers need to know. In brief the pack will contain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), Sales Statement, Standard Searches and Evidence of Title (see ‘Related Links’ for further information).
For sellers, providing a Pack upfront should reduce the likelihood of any nasty surprises in the selling process that could delay the sale, as buyers will be able to make more informed decisions about purchasing their home.
For buyers, the Pack provides essential information about properties they are considering buying, free of charge.
How much will it cost?
Pack prices (including the EPC) appear to range from between £299+vat and £399+vat. Our pack falls well within this band and there are various options on paying upfront or later
Some estate agents are offering free packs!
Some estate agents are advertising free packs and/or produce the pack themselves. Is anything in life free? Or will you find a hidden catch? It could mean inflated fees or long sole agency periods that you are unable to escape from without paying huge withdrawal costs, you may not retain ownership of YOUR Pack and inevitable it will cost you more in the long run. We also believe the production of the pack should be left to the experts, a qualified solicitor. NOT the Estate Agent.
Compulsory items
The following compulsory documents must be included in a Home Information Pack.
Additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales, where appropriate.
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