Home Information Packs
If you are considering placing your home on the market, the chances are that you will need a Home Information Pack in place before your chosen agent can begin marketing your property. Even if you are selling your property privately, a Pack must still be commissioned before you can start to offer your home for sale. How do you choose a provider for this important document? After all there are many options available to you - some appearing very cheap or even 'free' and some overly-expensive. What goes into the Pack? What do you have to do? And how can you ensure that having paid for the Pack it will help you in your sale process?
The answers to all of these questions and more are to be found right here. Please browse through the site, and if you are still unsure as to what is required and where to turn then please do not hesitate to pick up the phone. The numbers are all on our Contact Us page and at the foot of this page.
Home Information Packs De-bunked
The Government introduced Home Information Packs across the entire housing market on December 14th 2007. This followed repeated delays and revisions due to a variety of factors. The Pack as presently configured in essence brings some of the legal work that used to be done much later on to the front of the process. It also caters for the introduction of a new document, the Energy Performance Certificate ( more on this later). A standard HIP will always feature the following documents:
An Index
An Energy Performance Certificate
Evidence of Title
Statement of Sale
Local Authority Searches - Local Land Charges and Local Enquiries
Drainage and Water Enquiries
A Copy of the Lease ( for leasehold properties only)
A Property Information Questionnaire
The above constitute the basic Home Information Pack.
In addition there are other 'Approved' documents which may be included if so desired.
To explain each of these briefly and in order:
The Index
- lists the documents included in your Pack and gives the date of generation of the documents
This is generated for you by your Pack provider
The Energy Performance Certificate
- is essentially a measure of the property's energy consumption and a statement of the various energy saving attributes of the property. This is the only part of the process that requires a site visit. Please click here for a fuller explanation.
The Statement of Sale
- is a confirmation of the people offering the property for sale and their status or relationship with the registered owner. Usually these are one and the same of course, but this is where a third party - perhaps an executor of a will or a Power of Attorney would declare their involvement. This document also confirms whether the property will be sold freehold or leasehold, ( or more recently commonhold), and that the whole of the property is included in the sale or perhaps only part of it. It also confirms that the property will be sold with vacant possession, and if not, it details the terms of any occupation - for example a lease or a tenancy agreement. This document is also generated for you by the Pack provider.
The Evidence of Title
-is a two part document that essentially confirms the boundaries of the property and the names and status of the owners. This essentially 'proves' that the seller has the right to sell! In most cases it is simply downloaded from the Land Registry by your Pack provider.
Local Searches
- these come in two parts - the Local Land Charges and Local Enquiries - together usually referred to as a Local Search. These are either applied for using a 'Personal Search' company, or more properly obtained from the relevant Local Authority direct. The Pack provider will obtain these for inclusion in the Pack. All our Packs feature direct searches only
Drainage and Water Searches
-these contain quite detailed information on the disposal of waste and surface water from the property and the supply of mains water to the property. This search is also obtained for you by your Pack provider - most properly directly from the relevant water company itself.
The Lease (leasehold properties only)
-a copy of the lease that is in force, which of course is the subject of the sale, is included in the pack. If you have a copy then the Pack provider may ask to copy this into the Pack, If not a copy can be obtained for you from the Land Registry at an extra charge ( currently £21.50 )
And that's it! Most of the Pack is generated 'desk-top' . The only document requiring a site visit is the Energy Performance Certificate. Please click here to learn the essentials about this new document.
The Property Information Questionnaire
This form is completed by the seller - but don't worry - we usually assist with this whilst 'on site' dealing with the Energy Performance Certificate!
How do you choose who to do this work for you?
There are certain key attributes which we have built in to our service which we aim to meet on every single commission we undertake. These are reliability, professionalism, accuracy, efficiency. We aim to commission the HIP within 24 hours of your instructions being confirmed, and e-mail your agent accordingly. We will endeavour to turn around the EPC within a similar timescale. The Pack is normally completed and dispatched within 7 - 10 days of commissioning. This approach minimises orliminates any delays in your sale progress. The document you will end up with is usable and should add to the speed and efficiency of the conveyance once a sale has been agreed.
Rather speak to a real person?
Call us now for an informal discussion and a non obligatory quotation.
Christchurch Home Inspections
Robin Martin Dip DEA
01202 471703 ( office) or 07967 233062 (mobile)
Registered Domestic Energy Assessor
Reg No NHER003132