Home Information Packs (HIP's)
What's in a Home Information Pack?
The Home Information Pack contains important information that buyers and sellers need to know. From the Summer of 2007, anyone marketing a property, or their representative, will be legally required to have a Home Information Pack and make it available to potential buyers of the property. The intended 1st June 2007 deadline was put back until 1st August 2007 due to a legal challenge from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
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, free of charge.
What does a Pack contain?
The following compulsory documents must be included in a Home Information Pack:
- Home Information Pack Index
- Energy Performance Certificate
- Sale statement
- Standard searches
- Evidence of title
- Additional information for leasehold and common hold sales, where appropriate.
Some documents in the Home Information Pack are optional. These include:
- Home Condition Report
- Legal summary
- Home use/contents forms
- Other documents
If certain documents (i.e. searches, evidence of title for unregistered home and leasehold / common hold information) cannot be obtained in time, sellers can start marketing with a Pack that includes an index, sale statement, evidence of title and an Energy Performance Certificate only.
However, the seller must be able to show that the missing items have been commissioned, and are expected to arrive as soon as practicable - certainly no later than 28 days of the property being put on the market.