What Are Home Information Packs (HIPs)?

Home Information Packs (HIPs) are designed to speed up the home buying process by making sure the seller has information about their property ready before starting to market the property for sale. This means that under Part 5 of the Housing Act 2004 a legal responsibility will fall on the person selling the property (the vendor) or their marketing agent to ensure all relevant documents are ready to present to prospective buyers on request. Full details are set out in Home Information Pack Regulations 2006 amended Home Information Pack Regulations 2007 and The Home Information Pack Regulations 2006 Procedural Guidance. Amended H

What will the Home Information Packs (HIPs) contain?

The Pack will include the following documents, most of which are currently provided later in the sale:

• An index of contents
• A sale statement (summarising terms of sale)
• Where appropriate, a New Homes Warranty
• Evidence of title (for registered properties)
• An Energy Performance Certificate

The following documents are also compulsory, but can be added to the Pack later if there are delays in obtaining them:

• Evidence of title (for unregistered properties)
• Searches (i.e. local authority enquiries and a drainage and water search)
• Where appropriate, commonhold information (including a copy of the commonhold community statement)
• Where appropriate, leasehold information (including a copy of the lease, information on service charges and insurance)

Also, for leasehold properties: a copy of the lease most recent service charge accounts and receipts building insurance policy details and payment receipts regulations made by the landlord or management company memorandum and articles of the landlord or management company

Where any items are missing, the index should explain why. Where searches, leasehold or commonhold documents are missing, the seller needs to provide evidence that an agreement has been made to provide the documents as soon as practicable and within 28 days, except in exceptional circumstances. If this takes longer than 28 days, marketers will be expected to demonstrate that they have made all reasonable efforts and enquiries to obtain them.

What is a Home Condition Report?

The home condition report is based on a 'level 2' inspection which gives a similar volume of detail to that provided in the RICS Homebuyer Survey and Valuation, known as the HSV. This is somewhere between a mortgage valuation type report known to the industry as a 'level 1' inspection and the more detailed Building Survey or ‘full structural survey’ known as a 'level 3'. Home Inspectors must work according to inspection and reporting requirements, which will be specified by the Government approved certification scheme and under the National Occupational Standards.

The report will be in a standard format with built-in flexibility to accommodate all sizes and types
of properties from the small studio flat, to the 'listed' country home.

It is designed to be easily understood by the lay reader – that means it will need to be clear, consistent and accurate.