News Tag: Home Information Packs
December 4, 2009
New figures from The Conservative Party claim that around two million house sellers have so far stumped up a combined £657.6 million for Home Information Packs (HIPs).
The packs were phased in during 2007, just as the UK property market began to crumble, and their usefulness has remained in question as they do not contain the one document a buyer most wants to ...
HIPs cost homesellers £657.6m
by Gill Montia
May 19, 2009
An investigation by Channel 4 News claims that up to £100 is being added to the cost of some Home Information Packs (HIPS) to line the pockets of estate agents.
In one case cited by the programme, a homeowner was paying almost £150 more for a pack than the price originally quoted by the HIP provider.
The Law Society has condemned the ...
Estate agents profit from secret HIP commission
by Gill Montia
March 19, 2009
New government legislation on Home Information Packs (HIPs) will cause home sellers 'significant delays' in getting their property to market, The Nottingham warned this week.
The East Midlands-based building society warned that the new legal status of HIPs will make home-selling a 'major logistical exercise'.
From 6 April, all home sellers will be required to have a completed HIP available before ...
New HIPs law will slow down house sales
by David Masters
December 9, 2008
Housing minister, Margaret Beckett, stands accused of putting additional pressure on homeowners by changing the rules that govern Home Information Packs (Hips).
Currently vendors can market their properties without a Hip providing they have made arrangements for one to be available within 28 days, however, from 6th April 2009 a pack must be available from the first day of sale.
Also from next ...
Minister tightens rules on Hips
by Gill Montia
October 29, 2008
Recently appointed housing minister, Margaret Beckett, has made reference to weaknesses in the Home Information Pack (HIP) scheme in an address to the House of Commons.
The minister made it clear that HIPs are here to stay but acknowledged shortcomings in the scheme mean that the full potential of the packs has not been achieved.
She blamed negativity in the property sector and ...
Minister acknowledges HIPs not fulfilling potential
by Gill Montia
August 27, 2008
The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) is demanding a review of Home Information Packs (Hips) because the slowdown in the housing market means that some of the packs are out of date before a property is sold.
The packs were intended to simplify and speed up the house selling process but the majority of estate agents opposed ...
Slow house sales put Hip searches out of date
by Gill Montia
July 30, 2008
The Government wants to improve Home Information Packs (HIPs) to reduce the likelihood of problems emerging well into the sales process.
Under the proposals, HIPS could include a property information questionnaire that would relate to such issues as building work carried out, energy and utility suppliers, parking arrangements and Council Tax banding.
A consultation has been launched to establish what changes are needed to make the buying ...
HIPs to be improved with new questionnaire
by Gill Montia
June 18, 2008
A new report on the residential property sector in England and Wales is recommending a number of reforms for the property buying and selling industry.
The Carsberg Review was commissioned by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) and the Association of Residential Letting Agents.
It criticises the system of voluntary regulation in the residential property sector for ...
Carsberg Review recommends optional HIPs
by Gill Montia
