HIPs Guide
This article was written by Sam Hawking & Co
The Home Information Pack and how it affects you, your solicitor and your estate agent
From 14 December 2007, all properties marketed for sale in England and Wales will need a Home Information Pack. For the estate agent, the Home Information Pack provides important information on the property to the buyer – and it must be complete before your estate agent can market your property.
The Home Information Pack must contain the following documents, which must be no more than three months old when the property is first marketed:
Index
Energy Performance Certificate
Sale Statement
Title documents for the property
Local Authority and drainage searches
If the property is leasehold or commonhold, the estate agent will also ask for the following:
Copy of the lease
Building insurance policy
Contact & legal details for the landlord or management
Regulations that apply
Recent service charge receipts and accounts
We also recommend sellers include the following optional documents in a Home Information Pack:
Home Condition Report
Home Use form
Home Contents form
Guarantees and warranties
Other relevant searches, such as a mining search
If all this sounds a bit scary, fear not! Sam Hawking & Co is here to take the pain away – just call us on 01639 884884 and ask about our Home Information Pack service.
