Essential Information

The government introduced Home Information Packs (HIPs) on14th December 2007 for all properties.

Now that HIPs are fully introduced the vast majority of home owners will need to obtain one before they can market their property. This is a significant change to the home buying and selling process, but provided you understand the key features of a HIP, what they are intended to achieve and ensure that you obtain yours from a reputable source, they are not something that should alarm you and hopefully over time, they will actually improve the overall process!

At PremierHIPs we are working with to compile HIPs quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.

We can provide estate agents with the necessary documentation to enable them to market the property and provide copies of the pack as well as EPC graphs for the sales particulars.

What is a Home Information Pack?

A HIP contains a collection of important documents that are required when houses are bought and sold. These include various legal searches, land registry documents, a Property Information Questionnaire and an energy performance certificate (EPC), which is intended to tell you and potential buyers how ‘green’ a house is. These are the compulsory elements for all properties; leasehold properties require a copy of the lease and there are various other documents and reports that can be included if you wish.

Why have HIPs been introduced?

The idea behind Home Information Packs is to make the process of buying or selling your house easier and quicker, by providing key documents when the property is first put on the market. Currently this information is not usually available until after an offer has been made and accepted. The goal is to deliver a more transparent and efficient process, thereby reducing the number of failed transactions, which currently cost consumers over £350m per year. The only new document not currently required for conveyancing is the energy performance certificate.

Do you need a pack and are there exceptions?

The vast majority of properties do. There are a few exceptions, such as mixed use properties (i.e. a shop and flat) and properties with a sitting tenant. Again, we can advise you if you do not require a HIP.

Examples of when you do not need a Home Information Pack include:

Properties where there is no marketing (e.g. sale to member of your family)
Non-residential properties
Seasonal and holiday accommodation
Mixed sales (e.g. shop with flat)
Right to buy and similar sales
Sales of portfolios of properties
Properties not being sold with completely vacant possession
Unsafe properties and properties to be demolished.

How long does a Pack last for?

The regulations do not require documents to be updated if the property is taken off the market and then put back on the market within one year of when it was first marketed. If it is taken off the market and then put back on the market after this date, certain time-sensitive parts of the Pack might need to be updated. However, there is no duty to update these documents at any time if the reason the property is put back on the market is because a sale has fallen through and the property is re-marketed within 28 days.