Frequently Asked Questions
The Home Information Pack was introduced in August 2007 by the Labour Government to speed up the home buying and selling process. The aim being to save consumers millions in failed transactions due to an inadequate and outdated process.
The coalition Government decided in May 2010 to suspend the regulation with immediate effect.
The Energy Performance Certificate remains as part of the (EPDB) Energy Performance Buildings Directive.
A: Properties marketed for sale from 14 December 2007 in England and Wales will 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 (i.e. 1 August 2007 for sales of homes with four or more bedrooms; 10 September 2007 for those with three or more bedrooms and 14 December for all properties) does not need to have a HIP.
A: From 6 April 2009 important changes are being introduced, both to the content of the Home Information Packs and to make them available at the first point a property is marketed. The changes are:
introduction of the new Property Information Questionnaire
removal of the temporary first day marketing concession and;
all searches, whether produced by a local authority or personal search company must be complete with no gaps in the data covered by insurance
Further information for consumers is available on the Directgov website at www.direct.gov.uk/HIPS (external link).
Further information for industry is available on the Business Link website at www.businesslink.gov.uk (external link)
A: From 6 April, the Pack will include the Property Information Questionnaire as a mandatory document.
The new form should be completed by the seller and will provide simple, useful information about a property that can help inform a prospective buyers decisions about whether to view, or to make an offer.
A: The following properties are exempt from the Home Information Pack regulations:
- Properties in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Private sales where the property is not offered on the open market (e.g. to a family member, neighbour, or friend)
- Non-residential property (i.e. shops or mixed commercial)
- Properties sold with sitting tenants and not available for owner occupation
- 'Right to Buy' sales by Local Authorities or other social landlords
- Homes held on a lease of less than 21 years
A: Yes. A trained and licensed Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) will need to visit the property to undertake the energy assessment and produce the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
We are members of the NHER Accreditation Scheme. We are fully qualified, licensed and accredited.
The visit will take approximately 3/4 - 1 hour and will include taking details of the construction and size of the property, additional insulation and heating/hot water systems.
See more information regarding the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and what is involved in the domestic energy assessment.
A: Providing you are continually marketing your property, and you do not take it off the market, your HIP will last for as long as it takes to sell your property.
A: Placing your order could not be easier, just complete the instruction form, email or telephone us direct, and feel free to call if you would like any advice or guidance, its free and confidential.