Home Information Packs - an Overview

Anderson Longmore & Higham can provide a Home Information Pack for you.

Home Information Packs (previously called 'Sellers' Packs') were in the public eye for several years and was introduced on 1st June 2007.

The idea behind HIPs is to simplify the conveyancing process by requiring 'up-front' disclosure of various things currently obtained at some expense by prospective buyers and which take time. The most important of these are the survey and searches. The Government orginally wanted to make a Home Condition Report a mandatory part of the HIP, but their inability to reach a consensus with bodies such as the Council of Mortgage Lenerds and others, has meant that this element is now voluntary, for the time being. However, the HIP does need to contain an energy efficiency report.

HIPs are not required for tenanted property where the lease is for less than 21 years. Sales of a number of properties as a block, sales of land without buildings and sales of property outside England and Wales will not be covered by the legislation.

The seller of a property is required to provide potential purchasers on request with a copy of the HIP (or any document it contains) and also to ensure that any documents in the HIP which are shown or provided to a prospective purchaser are valid documents. The responsibility for the HIP will extend to the estate agent dealing with the marketing of the property and this responsibility will exist even where the estate agent does not market the property formally – for example, where he simply tells contacts that the property may be available for sale.

Not everyone requesting to see the HIP has a right to see it: a request may be legitimately denied in certain circumstances. These are:

• when the person requesting is thought to have insufficient means to complete the purchase;
• when it is thought that the person requesting the information is not a genuinely interested buyer; or
• when the person requesting is not someone to whom the seller would be likely to be prepared to sell.

The seller can impose a reasonable charge for making the HIP available and can impose restrictions on the disclosure of the documents contained in the HIP or any information in it.

To contact us with a query regarding HIPs or to request more information - HIP Request

For all advice regarding property purchases and sales, call us. Or simply complete our Online Application Form.

The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.