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6th April 2009 Changes.
As of the 1st June the new system is still bedding in...
...with the requirement to offer the basic HIP (Land Reg details, EPC, PIQ) as quickly as possible, 3 - 5 days suggest the Government, and the remainder of the HIP following as soon as the Local Search is available.
In precis the changes to the legislation are as follows;
* A basic HIP must be completed before the property is marketed.
* The HIP can be provided in two installments.
* The first installment must include the EPC, Land Registry Details and a "new" Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ).
* The Governments sample of the PIQ can be found at: Property Information Questionnaire.
* The Searches, and any Lease, can follow afterwards as the second installment of the HIP.
Personal Searches can still be used within HIPs but the allowance to have any missing information, formerly covered by insurance, has been removed.
There are major headaches bouncing around the HIP world, at the moment, as a number of HIP firms don't "seem" to be providing compliant searches. ie. providing all the necessary information.
This is frustrating, for us, because we're at a commercial disadvantage by providing accurate searches, that solicitors can rely on, whereas some firms are still providing, cheap, non-compliant searches. Which is highly, highly frustrating.
Hopefully the Office of Fair Trading will flex a little muscle, in this regard, shortly.
Any firm that offers HIPs at pre 6th April prices may not be providing the whole information..... Interesting times.
Jon Hilton, Legal Brokers Ltd - 01.06.09
Further reading......As the HIP sector seems to be "fluid" in its nature please only use this information as a guide & seek further guidance, if in doubt, about the contents of these PDF's....
On the 8th December 2008 Margaret Beckett, Housing Minister, published a press release detailing her views on Home Buying & Selling.
At the moment the most recent PDF updates (as of 23.09.08) are listed below & we'll host the PDF's as and when we're notified of changes.
CLG Update 32 - New homes, Commissioning, Part Ex, Shared Ownership, Land Registry, Agent redress, Financial support.
CLG Update 31 - MORI research.
CLG Update 30 - Compliance, EPC's and climate change.
CLG Update 29 - Reform of the searches market.
CLG Update 28 - HIP exceptions.
CLG Update 27 - Full roll out of HIPs.
CLG Update 26 - Drop dead date (someone at the CLG seems to own a sense of humour), New builds.
CLG Update 25 - Full roll out of HIPs.
CLG Update 24 - Consumer redress and estate agents.
CLG Update 23 - Drop dead date (the CLG explain the term).
CLG Update 22 - Advertising, Enforcement officers.
CLG Update 21 - Personal Searches.
CLG Update 20 - NAO report.
14.11.07 - Do I need a Pack - www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk - Overview.
You do not need a Home Information Pack for;
- Properties where there is no marketing (eg. sale to a member of your family)
- Non residential properties
- Seasonal and holiday accommodation
- Mixed sales (eg. shop with flat)
- Right to buy and similar properties
- Sales of portfolio of properties
- Properties not being sold with completely vacant possession
- Unsafe properties and properties to be demolished
- Properties already on the market when the duty to have a pack arises
- New homes built under Part L of the Building Regulations 2006