Home Information Packs (or HIPs for short) are designed to help the buying/selling process and will contain important information about the property being sold.

For sellers, providing a Pack upfront should reduce the likelihood of any nasty surprises in the selling process that could delay the sale, as buyers will be able to make more informed decisions about purchasing their home.

For buyers, the Pack provides essential information about properties they are considering buying.

By providing this information earlier in the sale of a home it is expected that the whole buying/selling process will be speeded up and fewer sales will fail.

What is in a HIP?

The Home Information Pack must include all the documents that are normally required when homes are bought and sold.

Some documents will be compulsory and others optional. The optional documents will add value to prospective buyers in terms of providing
additional reassurance.

The compulsory documents are:

• An index (ie. List of contents)
• Energy Performance Certificate
• A sale statement (summarising the terms of the sale)
• Evidence of title
• Standard searches (eg. Local authority enquiries and a drainage and water search)
  
• Commonhold information if applicable
• Leasehold information if applicable

The optional documents include:

• A home condition report
  
• A legal summary
  
• Other searches relevant to the area
  
• A home use form
  
• A home contents form and additional relevant information

Can I put my home on the market without a HIP?

Up to 31st May 2008 you can market your property as soon as you have commissioned your HIP - so you don’t have to wait until you
have received it.

For more information, contact us on 0151-520 0001.