The Home Information Pack now applies to all properties. As from May the government intend making it complusory to have the HIPs commissioned and available for buyers to see on the first day of marketing; i.e it will be illegal to offer your property for sale until you have a HIP to produce. The sad thing is the Housing Minister's team believes its own propaganda on this namely that the public love HIPs, they only take 7-10 days to produce and the energy certificate is crucial in the fight against global warming (or is it climate change, the emphasis has shifted to cover themselves in case we get a cold snap). My understanding is that HIPs are currently taking around 2 to 6 weeks to deliver from date of commissioning, and that is in a quiet (some say dead market). What happens when the system is under pressure? If you have to move suddenly with your job you could be waiting around a month before you can even offer the property for sale. If you have found the ideal proeperty to buy you will be pipped at the post because you can't get your house up for sale fast enough. This mad scheme proves the government has no idea about the commercial working of the housing market and the public need to tell them in no uncertain words of the damage they are causing. Far from reducing CO2 output the extra raft of bureaucracy necessary to administer HIPs has caused an increase i.e. energy inspectors driving to visit houses and using power in their offices and pack providers burning energy; and all for a certificate that is largely ignored by the buyers and includes such generalisations as roof insulation - assumed and cavity wall insulation - assumed. This is as much use to buyers as a hole in the head and the majority are not interested.
I would urge all contributors to EMail the government and tell them exactly what you think of HIPs, its content and cost at the following email address
Every person in the country can complain but it won’t change the fact this is required from an EU directive. We must stop complaining and do as we are told.
The answer to this to also write to the Prime Minister also your MP and demand the promised referendum on the Lisbon treaty/constitution; they are the same thing. Make this governement unelectable they deserve it.
thousands of people signed a petition to urge the govt to scrap hips and on Friday we received a two line reply informing us that the public had embraced them and they were working well. Have you embraced them? I haven't, they are the biggest load of rubbish ever thought up by this lunatic Govt. who do not know the first thing about this housing market.sorry about the rant but I have recived a HIP today for another house which completed two weeks ago. Is it me?
Originally posted by Lawyerlady: thousands of people signed a petition to urge the govt to scrap hips and on Friday we received a two line reply informing us that the public had embraced them and they were working well. Have you embraced them? I haven't, they are the biggest load of rubbish ever thought up by this lunatic Govt. who do not know the first thing about this housing market.sorry about the rant but I have recived a HIP today for another house which completed two weeks ago. Is it me?
Hi Lawyer Lady, I'm a surveyor and have been opposed to HIPs from the start; I signed the above petition and any others I could find and as you say all we get is patronising drivel in return. The government seem to believe their own propaganda on HIPs. Only last week the Housing Minister was in Parliament telling MPs that they are now taking on average 7-10 days to produce. An estate agent contact of mine is selling his freehold house with registered title; a typically simple case. He ordered a HIP on 14th Feb and has an anticipated delivery date of 26th March. Other estate agents report similar delays locally. If this is what we get on a depressed market, what will happen when it gets busy? I believe the majority of the public and the industry to be opposed so it isn't just you. All I can suggest is pestering the Minister and our MP's until they see sense. In the meantime business is suffering.
Originally posted by Rising Damp: I believe the majority of the public and the industry to be opposed so it isn't just you. All I can suggest is pestering the Minister and our MP's until they see sense. In the meantime business is suffering.
The problem you two have got is that it effects you both daily, while it only effects a tiny persentage of the public at any one time. So there will be no huge rallys of protest, and like everything else become accepted in time.
At some point the EU will use the information on house size, etc, for tax purposes. Will be far too late by then if it isn't already.
To be honest, I don't really care about them. Sure, it's extra money when selling but it pales into insignificance compared to the monthly mortgage payments on the flat we're selling. If anything, at this point (just as seller), I think they've got some rather useful info in, although they also have some pretty irrelevant info.
p.s. I ordered my HIP on Thursday p.m. via the estate agents, and the energy assessor phoned Friday and came round Sat. So I don't have any quarrels with the speed.
Originally posted by Hatster: p.s. I ordered my HIP on Thursday p.m. via the estate agents, and the energy assessor phoned Friday and came round Sat. So I don't have any quarrels with the speed.
The energy inspector is probably desperate for the work, especially as the anticipated fees were approx double the fees now being paid. Actually receiving your HIP could take considerably longer though, particularly on a leasehold flat.
they say that 80% of the public have not asked to view the HIP for a property before they offer. Which means 20% have asked Well not in my Estate Agents. Had not one yet!!!!!
So what was the point of HIP's was it transparency that the public clamoured for clearly they were so desperate they ALL forgot to ask!
"The greatest trick the Devil played, was convincing us all that he did not exist"
