| What is a Home Information Pack?
A Home Information Pack contains a variety of legal documents about a
property being offered for sale including an energy rating
certificate.
Home owners are required to provide a Home Information Pack (HIP) for
buyers when a property is placed on the market for sale. This applies to all
private homes from 14 December 2007.
Home Information Packs relate to *marketing* of the property by any
method - you don't need to be selling with an estate agent to comply with or
purchase HIPS which are available from any authorised supplier.
PRICING -
The Little House Company HIPS
Our HIPS are supplied by LMS, one of the UK's leading providers of
legal and survey services working with some of the country's biggest mortgage
lenders including Abbey, Halifax and Nationwide Building Society, managing over
300,000 transactions a year, with a turnover exceeding £40
million.
Complete HIPS at one simple price :
All inclusive HIP |
£299 +VAT = £351.33 |
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- no supplements
- no leasehold charge
- flat price any
value
- free hard copy
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A deferred cost option is available for the HIP which permits you to
pay on completion providing this takes place within 9 months. |
What does
a HIP contain?
The main documents included in the HIP consist of an energy rating
certificate and other documents required to exchange contracts on the property.
The HIP does not include a Home Condition Report (building survey) at this
time.
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Main Documents
- Energy Efficiency Report
- Terms of sale
- Evidence of title
- Standard searches
- Planning consents, agreements, building control
certificates
- Sellers Property Information Form
- Warranties and guarantees
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Leasehold Supplement
- Copy of the lease
- Service charge accounts
- Building insurance policy details and payment receipts
- Regulations made by the landlord or management company
- Memorandum and articles of the landlord or management
company
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Aren't
'free' HIPS offered by estate agents?
Take great care, so-called 'free' Home Information Packs are ALWAYS
subject to terms and conditions. Of course, it's not really 'free' at all, the
cost of the HIP must be paid for (by you) at some point, usually by a higher
commission rate on the property sale or a tie in clause, meaning that your
agent 'owns' the HIP and you can't change to another agent if you need
to.
Buying your HIP direct means that you (not the estate agent) own the
HIP and can use it with any other agent or private marketing. It will also be
cheaper than the true hidden cost of an agent's 'free' HIP.
The Little House Company has a special deal for our customers. We
offer a HIP that you own yourself, with no restrictive terms and the option to
defer payment until completion of the sale (no upfront cost). This is not a
'free' HIP, but is probably the cheapest way to buy your HIP complete and
direct. You can save even more by combining your conveyancing with the
HIP.
Exemptions
A Home Information Pack
is required to advertise any property for sale in England & Wales, with
certain exemptions:
- Property not offered on the open market (e.g. direct sale to family
member, neighbour, or friend)
- Non-residential property (i.e. shops or mixed commercial)
- Properties sold with sitting tenants
- homes on the market before HIPS were introduced
Procedure
Simply order your HIP at the same time as starting your advertising.
Our HIP providers, LMS, will take all your details and arrange for an
appointment for an energy surveyor to visit your home at a time convenient for
you. All necessary documents will then be compiled to complete your pack
quickly, made available to view online or download in PDF format.
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