HIPs Delayed until August

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Home Information Packs (HIPs) were due to be introduced on 1st June 2007. At the eleventh hour the scheme has been delayed until 1st August 2007.

After 1st August 2007 a HIP must be requested for every property with 4 bedrooms or more. The Regulations issued on 29th March confirmed the following “required” documents to be included in a HIP:- 

• Index
• Sale Statement
• Energy Performance Certificate
• Title Documentation
• Title Plan
• Local Search
• Drainage and Water Search
• Leasehold Information (if applicable)

A property can be marketed before the required documents (and leasehold information if applicable) are received, if the HIP provider confirms that these have been applied for and every effort is made to add these to the HIP within 28 days. Other “authorised” documents can be added to the HIP, such as Home Condition Reports, Home Use Forms and Home Contents Forms.

Head of Conveyancing at Frettens, David Walton, oversees one of the largest residential property teams in the south, with nearly 40 staff working on home sales and purchases. He comments “There was been much scepticism that HIPs would become compulsory, and some confusion about the Regulations. Frettens were ready to provide HIPs from 1st June, and our systems are still in place ready for the revised plans in August.”

Frettens can prepare the HIP and advise on all aspects of your sale and the legal process involved. For further information please contact David Walton on david@frettens.co.uk or 01202 499255.

Frettens provide a full range of specialised legal services to private and commercial clients, with a modern, common sense approach.