Frequently Asked Questions
Buyers Questions
- What is a Home Information Pack?
- Why is a HIP important?
- What is in a HIP?
- What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
- How can I get a copy of the HIP?
- When should a HIP be made available to me?
- How much will a HIP cost?
- What can you do if a HIP/EPC isn't provided?
Sellers Questions
What is a Home Information Pack?
The Government has introduced Home Information Packs (HIPs) to help speed up the home selling process and provide information that will help in reducing excess carbon emissions from residential properties.
Every year millions of pounds are wasted on transactions that fall through. HIPs will ensure that searches and vital information needed by the buyer are provided at the start of the transaction. The HIP also contains an Energy Performance Certificate which gives performance ratings for the property.
Compiling the legal information well in advance helps to speed up conveyancing process and reduces the possibilities of a sale falling through after a buyer’s offer is accepted. It also helps us to understand and improve energy efficiency of our homes.
The HIP is made up of required (compulsory) and authorised (optional) items. Listed below are all the compulsory documents that need to be included:
- Home Information Pack Index
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- sustainability information (required for newly built homes only)
- sale statement
- evidence of title
- standard searches (local authority and drainage and water)
- leasehold and commonhold documents where appropriate
The pack may also include other (authorised) 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.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
An EPC provides an energy rating which works on similar lines to the rating shown on the front of electrical appliances such as fridges. The EPC will provide a scale of A-G giving the current efficiency of the property and its potential rating. It will also include recommendations as to how the energy efficiency of the property can be improved.
Just ask whoever is advertising the property for sale for a copy of the HIP. This is usually an estate agent, but could be another business or individual.
They must give you an electronic copy of the HIP free of charge if you ask for it (although they may make a reasonable charge to cover the costs of copying and posting it). You should get your copy of the HIP within 14 days of the request being made.
The HIP must be commissioned and paid for (or arrangement for payment made) before the property is marketed for sale.
HIPs are normally completed within 5-7 working days.
If you're a buyer, nothing - you'll get a copy of the HIP free on any property you're interested in (although you may be asked to pay copying and postage costs).
Sellers (or their agents) have to provide the HIP pack within 14 days of a request from a buyer. A seller can only refuse to provide a copy in limited cases. This is usually when a 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 who the seller would wish to sell the property to (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 can help you.