Update on Home Information Packs (HIP's)

As you may have heard, in July the Government made a dramatic U-Turn of Home Information Packs, by scrapping the requirement for a Home Condition Report. This was to have been an independent survey showing the condition of the property and available to any potential buyer.

However the Government has responded to industry concerns that such a report may be unnecessarily off-putting for buyers and also that buyers and lenders would not trust a survey commissioned and paid for by the seller. The Home Information Pack will now contain only two elements; a legal pack containing copies of the tile deeds and searches and an Energy Performance Certificate.

As the elements will need to be in place before the house is put on the market, it will be essential for solicitors to be involved in the sale process from the outset, and not just once the buyer is found. Solicitors and estate agents will therefore need to work closely to make sure all legal requirements are met when a property is put up for sale.

As combined solicitors & estate agents we can help you with both the legal apsect and the sale of your house all from the same office. If you would like a legal fees quote for your conveyancing, or a valuation of your house contact us tody on 0116 212 1122.