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Home Information Packs

What is a Home Information Pack? (HIPs)

The Home Information Pack is a set of documents providing important information about a property such as searches, copies of the deeds and information regarding its energy efficiency.

What does this mean for me as Seller?

Selling a home can be stressful and prone to delays and failure under the current system. Currently one in four property transactions break down due to information coming to light after a formal offer has been made. The Government believes Home Information Packs will reduce this costly inefficiency and make selling simpler. They became compulsory for the sale of 4+ bedroom houses on the 1st August 2007; 3 bedroom houses on the 10th September 2007, and all properties on the 14th December 2007.

However, properties that were placed on the market before these dates are still exempt.

What does this mean for me as a Buyer?

Buying a home can be like trying to find your way through a legal, financial and administrative maze. Currently, buyers have to make a formal offer before seeing important information about a property. The Government's new Home Information Packs will allow this essential information to be made available up front.

Home Information Pack Contents

The Home Information Pack Regulations 2006 set out provisions on the 'required' (mandatory) and 'authorised' (voluntary) content of the Pack. Required documents must be included in the pack where appropriate and authorised documents may be included at the seller's discretion.

The required documents are:

  • An index (i.e. a list of the contents of the Pack)
  • A sale statement (summarising terms of sale);
  • Evidence of title
  • Standard searches (i.e. local authority enquiries and a drainage and water search)
  • An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). To view a sample of an EPC:- Energy Performance Certificate Sample
  • Where appropriate, leasehold information (including a copy of the lease, information on service charges and insurance)
  • Where appropriate, a New Homes Warranty
  • Where appropriate, a report on a home that is not physically complete

The authorised (voluntary) documents include:

  • Guarantees and warranties
  • A Home Condition Report*
  • Other or more detailed searches if required i.e. of adjacent land
  • Home Use Form. This Document details important information about the use of the Property and is similar to standard enquires before contract.
  • Home Contents Form. Details of what is included in the Sale including Fixtures
  • The Regulations will be amended so that as from 1 June 2007 the Home Condition Report will be an authorised (voluntary) part of the Pack

Are there exceptions?

The following will not require a Hip:-

  • A tenanted property can be marketed without a HiP. A part tenanted property (ie with a granny flat) cannot be marketed without a HiP
  • Non-residential property
  • Mixed commercial and residential property
  • Properties with leases of less than 21 years
  • Private sales where the property is not marketed
  • Unsafe (uninhabitable) properties and properties for demolition