Information for home owners/ sellers

The Home Information Pack, Hip pack brings together key information needed by buyers and sellers at the very start of the home-buying process. If you're a seller, you need to make sure you have commissioned a Hip pack by the time that you market your property.

Benefits of the HIP

Under the previous home buying process the majority of information required to sell a property only became available after an offer had been made and accepted. This meant that any issues with the property became apparent several weeks later, by which time significant costs and fees could had been incurred by both buyers and sellers. The Hip pack can help this problem, the information within the Hip pack highlights any problems at an early stage in the buying process.

By providing Hip packs to potential buyers, it is expected that the buying/selling process will improve. Key information is provided to potential buyers in an understandable and user-friendly format at the start of the process, enabling them to be better prepared before they make decisions and negotiate terms. This should reduce frustration and stress as well as cutting wasted costs through the reduction of the high rates of failed transactions and speeding up the time from offer to completion.

What's in the pack?

The Home Information Pack must contain at least the following: (or if any are missing, the Index should explain why)

• An Index of contents The Index is the checklist of documents compiled in the Hip pack.

• An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): Compiled by a fully accreditated Domestic Energy Assessor using government approved software. The assessor will need to visit your property.

• A sale statement: Sale statement provides basic information about the property including the full address, the type of tenure, whether the property is registered or unregistered.

• Evidence of title (for registered and unregistered properties) This consists of either an official copy of both the Land Registry office copy entries and plan, or for unregistered property an Epitome of Title. For leasehold properties it should also show the lease.

• Standard searches Local Search and land charges include an insurance policy to cover not just the vendor, but the buyer, potential buyer and mortgage lender.

• Leasehold/ commonhold documents where appropriate.

What you get from the HIP Factory?

You will receive your complete Hip pack supplied to you as a PDF. The PDF file will allow us, or yourself to forward the HIP Pack via email to any relevant parties ie: your Estate Agent, or potential buyers of your property. This PDF file allows any further copies of your Hip pack to be printed if required.

Additional printed copies are available at £15.00 +vat.

The cost of the complete HIP for a freehold property is now from as low as £260.00 + vat.

The costs of HIP packs has gone up in line with new legislation (April 6th 2009) and increased charges from Local Authorities for searches. This at present will add £50 to the cost of our Home Information Packs, as soon as any costs change we will immediately pass this on to our customers.

As an individual, you have a right to source your own HIP, so avoid the large charges quoted by the industry! Where you can pay anything between £320-£500 +vat for your HIP pack.

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