Home Information Packs
Properties marketed for sale from 14 December 2007 in England and Wales will need a Home Information Pack. The Pack includes an Energy Performance Certificate, containing advice on how to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills. Also included are documents such as a sale statement, searches and evidence of title.
An Energy Performance Certificate is part of a Home Information Pack. The certificates are commissioned by the seller (or their agent) from an accredited Energy Assessor, who visits the property to collect the relevant data and creates the certificate. This data includes the date, construction and location of the house and relevant fittings (heating systems, insulation or double glazing, for example).
Who needs a HIP?
Any residential properties being put on the market will need to commision a HIP.
Are there any Exemptions?
There are some exemptions to the regulations and Sellers should seek advice from a qualified property lawyer prior to marketing to assess whether a Home Information Pack is required. The exemptions are set out briefly below:
- Business Use
Properties that are classed as a business under the planning regulations and that will remain a business at legal completion - Residential property converted to business use
A dwelling that has been converted with the appropriate planning consent to business use and that will still have business use at legal completion - Properties not sold with vacant possession
Properties that are tenanted prior to and at the time of transfer of sale. - Mixed Commercial/Residential Sales
Properties that are a mixture of business and residential i.e. a shop with a flat above - Dual Use
Properties that are used for both business and residential purposes i.e. a Doctor's surgery with living accommodation - Portfolios of Properties
A number of properties that are being sold together as a portfolio - Unsafe Properties
Properties that have been deemed unsafe for habitation by the planning authority and that will remain in that condition on legal completion - Demolition
Property that has a demolition order on it and that will remain in that condition on legal completion - Properties not being placed on the Open Market
Property that is sold by landlords to existing tenants (i.e. right to buy and housing associations), property sold to friends/family etc. that has never been placed on the open market.
What if I don't get a HIP?
The person responsible for failing to provide a HIP could face a civil fixed penalty notice of £200 (with provision for this to be increased to up to £500). It should be noted that if a civil penalty notice is issued it is not permitted to continue selling the property until the HIP is obtained. If an estate agent chooses to ignore the Regulations then they are at risk of a banning order which would prevent them from trading.
Who do we do HIPS/Energy Performance Certificates for?
We have a growing client base including; estate agents, solicitors, surveyors, letting agents, professional developers/new house builders and the private individual. We currently cover England and Wales.
What our HIPs include
- » Index and Sale Statement
- » Office Copies (Land Registry)
- » Local Authority Search
- » Official Water & Drainage Search
- » EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
- » Commonhold information (where appropriate)
- » A copy of the lease (where appropriate)
You will receive your completed HIP pack as a 68 page PDF File. We can however provide a hard copy for a small surcharge.
You can be assured you will receive a compliant HIP Pack which adheres to the Governments Regulations. We provide fully insured home information packs for Homebuyers, Sellers, Estate Agents, Conveyancers and Mortgage Lenders who rely on the information included in a Home Information Pack. It sets out minimum standards which HIP providers have to meet. We have £2 million indemnity Insurance and our searches alone are covered up to £2 million per search.
Are you a Landlord?
When buildings are to be rented out, the landlord is responsible for ensuring a valid certificate is made available to all prospective tenants.
The EU requires that Energy Performance Certificates will need to be provided for all buildings when they are constructed, sold or rented.
From October 1st 2008 all properties made available for rent will require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The report will be required for new tenancies only and will be valid for up to 10 years.
As you can imagine, come October the demand for EPCs will be huge, and with only qualified, accredited Domestic Energy Assessors being able to complete them there could well be a backlog leading to delays in rental agreements being able to be put into place.
Fortunately, as the reports will be valid for up to 10 years, there is nothing to stop you getting ahead of the game and ordering your EPC now. Why not take advantage of our favourable rates. We can offer evening and week end surveys to suit Landlords and Tenants.
Energy Performance Certificates
from only £48+ VAT
