Home Information Packs

The Government has introduced Home Information Packs (HIPs) as part of wider reforms to cut carbon emissions from homes and to improve home buying and selling. Starting on the 1st of August 2007, HIPs were initially introduced on a phased basis and they are now required by all homes marketed for sale from 14th December 2007

The purpose of HIPs is to provide consumers with better information at the right time in order to improve the certainty of transactions and reduce costs

Under this Government legislation (Part 5 of the Housing Act 2004), home-owners or their selling agent, whoever is responsible for the marketing of a residential property, has a legal duty to prepare a Home Information Pack prior to commencing marketing of the property.

Marriotts are able to provide our clients with a Home Information Pack so that marketing of their property can be started as soon as possible.

The compulsory contents of a Home Information Pack are:-

• A Home Information Pack Index
• An Energy Performance Certificate
• A Sale Statement
• Local and Water/Drainage Searches
• Evidence of Title
• Leasehold and Commonhold Documents

Other optional items that can be included in a HIP are:-

• A Home Condition Report
• A Legal Summary
• A Home Use/Contents Form
• Other Documents e.g. a Mining Search
• Guarantees or Warranties for work carried out on the property

Whilst a property is on the market, there is no need to update the Home Information Pack.