ROOF Blog

In Scotland, house sales have been helped by the introduction of home information packs (hips), the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has found. It claims the reports which have been a requirement since December have tempted buyers back into the market as buyers and sellers have been getting used to using them as part of the selling process.

The price of home information packs (Hips) is being inflated by up to £150 to cover secret commission payments made to estate agents, Channel 4 News has claimed. Channel 4 said it had obtained documents showing an arrangement between a Hip provider and an estate agent where the price for one of the packs was increased to cover commission to the agent for using the company as its sole Hip provider. The Law Society has called on the government to take action, while the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors is investigating.

Communities and Local Government has confirmed that proposed legislation on home information packs (Hips) due to come into effect from 6 April will go ahead. The main change is that the temporary first day marketing exemption will be removed, meaning that a Hip must be available on the first day a property is marketed. The property information questionnaire, including information on gas and electricity safety, flood risk, parking arrangements and details previous structural damage, must now be included.

From April, homeowners will not be allowed to put their home on the market until all the key documents are in the home information pack, including a new property questionnaire. Currently sellers can start marketing their property as soon as they have commissioned a pack and for up to 28 days before they receive the pack. The property questionnaire will include information on flood risks, the safety of gas and electrical supplies, service charges, structural damage, and parking arrangements.