- Home
- HIPs Update & FAQs
- >Energy Performance
- >EPCs for residential sales
- >EPCs for residential rentals
- >EPCs for commercial properties
- >DECs for public buildings
- >EPCs exemptions
- >EPC Generator for EAs
- Tenancy Pack
- Save £££s
- Energy Saving Grants
- Floor Plans
- Surveys
- Conveyancing
- Home Moving Products
- Resources & Downloads
- DEA's Pages
- F A Qs
- About Us
- Partnerships & Professionals
- Where are we
- Terms & Conditions
- Contact Us
Register / Login
Latest NewsHIPs are suspended
The Home Information Pack regulations have been suspended as of 20th May 2010
Will the Energy Performance Certificate prove to be the Conservative Party's achilles' heel?
The European Commission has made a proposal for a recast energy performance Directive (COM (2008) 7808 (“the Recast Directive”).
Eminent announce AHIPP membership:
We are proud to announce we have now taken up Affiliate Partner membership....
F A Qs 
Sellers' frequently asked questions
When do I have to provide a HIP?
What goes in a HIP?
Are HIPs required across the UK?
I'm selling my house privately - do I need a Home Information Pack?
Who pays for the Pack?
How do I pay for the Pack?
Do I have to put electrical certificates in my Pack?
I've lost guarantees of work I have had done - what do I do?
Should the pack include a Home Condition Report?
My house has been on the market before HIPs came in. If I change Estate Agents now, do I have to get a HIP?
Buyers' frequently asked questions
When should I expect to receive the Home Information Pack/Energy Performance Certificate for a property I am interested in buying/am in the process of buying?
What can I do if a HIP/EPC isn't provided?
How much does a Home Information Pack cost?
What can I expect to see in my Pack?
Are HIPs required across the UK?
Who pays for the Pack?
Sellers' F A Qs
When do I have to provide a HIP?
Properties marketed for sale from 14 December 2007 in England and Wales will need a Home Information Pack (HIP), which includes a home energy rating. The Pack includes an Energy Performance Certificate, containing advice on how to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills. Also included are documents such as a sale statement, searches and evidence of title.
Currently, any property that was already on the market on the relevant commencement date (i.e. 1 August 2007 for sales of homes with four or more bedrooms; 10 September 2007 for those with three or more bedrooms and 14 December for all properties) does not need to have a HIP.
At this stage no such date has been set when all properties that are on the market will be required to have a HIP
Back
What goes in a HIP?
A HIP includes documents that are required when homes are bought and sold. Some documents are mandatory and others optional.
The mandatory documents are:
- An index (ie a list of the contents of the HIP)
- A sale statement (summarising the terms of sale)
- Evidence of title
- Standard searches (ie local authority enquiries and a drainage and water search)
- An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Commonhold information (where appropriate)
- A copy of the lease (where appropriate)
Documents that are optional include:
-
A Home Condition Report (HCR)
-
Additional leasehold, information
-
Guarantees and warranties
- Other searches relevant to the particular area
Are HIPs required across the UK?
No - only in England and Wales
Back
I'm selling my house privately - do I need a Home Information Pack?
If you are marketing your property, even if it's just by putting a 'for sale' sign in the window, you need a Pack. Sales where no marketing takes place (e.g. to a member of the family) won't need a Pack, but will require a standalone EPC.
Back
Who pays for the Pack?
The seller is responsible for the cost of a Home Information Pack
Back
How will I pay for the Pack?
Seller pays for the Pack upfront or can opt for a Deferred payment option, for more details see our Terms & Conditions or call a member of the team, contact details are on our Contact Us page
Back
Do I have to put electrical certificates in my Pack?
Electrical certificates (past or present) are not a required component of the Pack, but can be included if the seller has them
Back
I've lost guarantees of work I have had done - what do I do?
Don't worry - guarantees aren't a required component of the Pack, but can be included if you have them
Back
Should the pack include a Home Condition Report?
A Home Condition Report could help you sell your property more quickly if it shows that it is in good condition, or if it highlights any problems straight away for potential buyers, it can avoid nasty surprises for buyers later in the process
Back
My house has been on the market before HIPs came in. If I change Estate Agents now, do I have to get a HIP?
If your house has not been taken off the market i.e. continuous marketing has occured, then no, you will not need to commission a HIP. If however, there was a break in marketing you will need to supply a HIP. Also, if you haven't got a HIP by or on the 1st October 2008 then you will at least need an EPC
Back
Buyers' F A Qs
When should I expect to receive the Home Information Pack/Energy Performance Certificate for a property I am interested in buying/am in the process of buying?
If a property which falls within the scope of the scheme is first placed on the market during the temporary period during which marketing is allowed to start without a HIP, then the HIP must be commissioned and paid for with the expectation that the documents will arrive within 28 days before marketing can begin. During this period, which ends on 31 December 2008, the EPC must be provided as soon as possible and before exchange of contracts at the latest.
If a property which falls within the scope of the scheme is first marketed from 1 January 2009 onwards, a HIP including the EPC should be available from the time it is first placed on the market.
Back
What can I do if a HIP/EPC isn't provided?
Except in relation to properties first placed on the market during the temporary period, which ends on 31 December 2008, which are being marketed without Packs, potential buyers have a right to a copy of the Pack and this should be provided within 14 days of request. Sellers may refuse to provide a copy in certain limited cases. These are where the seller believes that the person making the request:
- could not afford the property;
- is not really interested in buying the property
- is not a person to whom the seller would wish to sell the property (but this does not allow them to unlawfully discriminate against someone).
If you believe that you are being denied a copy of the pack unlawfully, local authority trading standards officers are responsible for enforcement of these duties
Back
How much does a Home Information Pack cost?
Copies of Packs are free to buyers, although a reasonable charge may be made for copying and postage
Back
What can I expect to see in my Pack?
The following documents are compulsory and must be included in a Pack :
-
Home Information Pack Index
-
Energy Performance Certificate
-
Sale statement
-
Standard searches
-
Evidence of title
Additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales, where appropriate.
You can also include other documents such as a Home Condition Report, an environmental or flood risk search and other information that would be of interest to a potential buyer as defined in the regulations
Back
Are HIPs required across the UK?
No - only in England and Wales
Back
Who pays for the Pack?
The seller is responsible for the cost of a Home Information Pack
Back
