Home Information Packs

 Home Information Packs for homes with four bedrooms or more came into effect in England and Wales on August 1, 2007 and three-bedroom homes followed a few weeks later on September 10. Smaller homes are due to follow on a date yet to be announced. Scotland is due to follow with Property Information Packs in 2008.

 It is the most significant change to the process of buying and selling homes since English law was first unified in the 11th century following the Norman Conquest — we jest not!

 The HIPs, the most notable ingredient of which is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC),  measuring the energy efficiency of the home for sale, are the result of the Homes Act 2004 and provoked years of debate within the property industry.

 The idea of the Packs is that prospective buyers can exchange contracts much more quickly and the property can be marketed before any HIP documents have been obtained, as long as proof is provided that the documents have been ordered and there is a belief that they will arrive within 28 days.

 Once the EPC is available a HIP must be provided to prospective purchasers.  Other documents must be added when they become available. Whether or not the HIP arrives before the property is taken off the market (agreement to sale having been reached), an EPC must be provided at exchange.