About HIPS
Solicitors and Conveyancers
Home Information Packs will be compulsory from 14th December 2007. Anyone marketing a residential
property for sale will be required to have a Home Information Pack for that property
from the time the property first goes on the market. There are only a few residential
properties exempt from this rule.
Home Information Packs will contain an Energy Performance Certificate and other
key documents such as evidence of title, local authority and drainage and water
searches and key leasehold documents where appropriate.
The duty to provide a Pack falls on the person responsible for marketing the property
(usually an estate agent). However, the information provided in the Pack is of great
use to conveyancers and solicitors, and you will want to be aware of the contents
of the Pack and the authority of the information contained in the documents.
Properties Exempt
You do not need a Home Information Pack for:
- 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.