Estate Agents have received spot check visits and telephone calls from Trading Standards Officers who are monitoring sites such as Rightmove. They are requesting sight of the HIP or evidence that this has been commissioned or details from whom the HIP has been ordered.
Where Trading Standards Officers are satisfied that a breach of duty in connection with HIPs has occurred they have the option of serving a civil penalty of £200 and can repeat this fine if the breach is ongoing. Theoretically, a £200 per day fine is possible but in practice misleading as it would be unreasonable to expect any breach to be corrected so quickly.
Click here to Order a HIP
MORE INFO: All residential properties require a HIP from 14 December 2007
MORE INFO: What exactly are HIPs? Read our information on Home Information Packs
MORE INFO: Frettens produced their first HIP in two working days, within the first 10 days of the scheme