Home Information Packs

 

Home Information Packs (HIPs) are intended to improve the home buying and selling experience for consumers and to reduce the carbon emissions from homes.

 

Why do I need a Home Information Pack?

A HIP is a set of documents that provides the buyer with key information on the property and must be provided by the seller or the seller's agent. It is a legal requirement to have a HIP and you can't market your property without one.

 

The HIP lets buyers see important information about the property at the start of the process, free of charge. This means there is less chance of buyers becoming aware of any surprises at the end of the process. The HIP can help reduce delays and extra expense to the buyer and seller.

 

What’s in a HIP (Home Information Pack)?
The Home Information Pack contains important information that buyers and sellers need to know. The HIP also includes an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), containing advice on how to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills. A HIP includes documents that are required when homes are bought and sold.  

The following documents must be included in your HIP:

 

Freehold Properties

• Home Information Pack Index
• Energy Performance Certificate
• Sale statement
• Standard searches
• Evidence of title
• Property Information Questionnaire
• Additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales, where appropriate.

 

Leasehold Properties

• all the compulsory documents above
• a copy of the lease

 

Optional Documents

Other documents can be included within your HIP, but these are optional. If they are included, it could help to speed up the sale and ensure that the process goes more smoothly. These include:

• Home Condition Report
• Legal summary
• Home use/contents forms
• Other documents like specialist searches (for example, the seller may choose to include a mining search in a mining area)

 

 

How long does a HIP last for?

While the property is on the market, there is no need to update the HIP. If the sale of your property stops and then starts again, you may have to compile a new HIP and provide up-to-date documents.

However, you can carry on using the same HIP without the need to update any of the documents where:

 

• marketing stopped because an offer was accepted and the sale has fallen through (but remarketing must start within one year of the date when marketing first began or, if later, within 28 days of the sale falling through)
• marketing has stopped for any other reason and the seller remarkets the property within one year of the date when marketing first began.

 

The effect of this is that the HIP has a shelf-life of at least 12 months for the seller.

 

 

What happens if you don't provide a HIP?

If you don't provide a HIP then you or the person marketing the property could face a fixed penalty notice (currently set at £200).

 

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