Next Move Estates

Home Information Packs

Properties marketed for sale from 14 December 2007 in England and Wales need a Home Information Pack.

The Home Information Pack contains important information that buyers and sellers need to know.

Benefits for sellers
For sellers, providing a Pack upfront should reduce the likelihood of any nasty surprises in the selling process that could delay the sale, as buyers will be able to make more informed decisions about purchasing their home.

Benefits for buyers
For buyers, the Pack provides essential information about properties they are considering buying, free of charge.

What does a Pack contain?

An index

An Energy Performance Certificate

A Sale statement

Standard searches

Evidence of title

Additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales, where appropriate.

Home Information Pack Index
The Index lists the documents contained in the Pack and provides a checklist for sellers, buyers, estate agents and enforcement authorities. Where a document that must be included in the Pack is unavailable, the Index must say so, give the reason it is missing, and indicate what steps are being taken to obtain it.

Where documents are added to or removed from the Pack at a later stage, the Index should be revised accordingly.

Energy Performance Certificate
The seller must have their property certified by a licensed Energy Inspector. Energy Performance Certificates tell you how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes - which should have the lowest fuel bills - are in band A. The Certificate also tells you, on a scale of A-G, about the impact the home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings. The Certificate includes recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment.

Most sellers of newly built homes will have to provide a predicted assessment of the energy efficiency of the property, but a full Energy Performance Certificate should be provided to the buyer when the home is completed.

Sale Statement
The sale statement should provide some basic information about the property, including:

The address of the property being sold

Whether the property is freehold, leasehold or commonhold

Whether the property is registered or unregistered

Whether or not the property is being sold with vacant possession

Standard searches
The Home Information Pack must include:

The local land charges register relating to the property being sold. Once a search is completed, which can be carried out by a personal search company or a local authority, you will receive an official search certificate.

Other records held by the local authority on matters of interest to buyers, such as planning decisions and road building proposals. These are referred to as local enquiries in the Home Information Pack regulations. A local authority or a personal search company can be used. The provision of drainage and water services to the property. The local water company or a personal search company can be used (however, the search must comply with the HIP Regulations).

Evidence of Title
These documents prove that the seller owns the property and therefore has the right to sell it. Where the property being sold is registered, certain documents that are available on request from the Land Registry must be included in the Pack. These provide an up-to-date official record of who owns the land, and consist of:

Official copies of the individual register (made up of a property register, proprietorship register and, typically, a charges register)

An official copy of the title plan

Leasehold and Commonhold properties
Most of the documents that must be included in the Home Information Pack are applicable to all transactions, but some are needed only for leasehold and commonhold sales. Of the required leasehold documents only a copy of the Lease is compulsory. However, sellers should include other leasehold documents whenever available and the following are authorised for inclusion in Home Information Packs:

Any regulations or rules that apply to the property that aren't mentioned in the lease and any proposed amendments to same

Statements or summaries of service charges covering the previous 36 months

Where appropriate, the most recent requests for payment of service charges, ground rent, insurance against damage for the building in which the property is situated, and insurance in respect of personal injury caused by or within the building during the 12-month period before marketing began

The name and address of the current or proposed lessor, and details of any managing agent that has been appointed or proposed by the lessor to manage the property

A summary of any works being undertaken or proposed that will affect the property or the building in which it's situated. The required commonhold documents are: An official copy of the individual register and title plan for the common parts. This is in addition to official copies of the individual register and title plan. Where they are reasonably obtainable, or sellers can reasonably be expected to be aware of them, the following documents and information are also required Copies of any regulations or rules not described in the commonhold community statement and any amendments proposed to those regulations or to the commonhold community statement.

Copies of any requests for payments made in the previous 12 months in respect of commonhold assessment, reserve fund levy and insurance (if not covered by a request for commonhold assessment)

The name and address of any managing agent or other person appointed or proposed to be appointed by the commonhold association to manage the commonhold

A summary of current or proposed works affecting the commonhold.

Do I need a Pack?
You do not need a Home Information Pack for:

Properties where there is no marketing (e.g. sale to member of your family)

Non-residential properties

Seasonal and holiday accommodation

Mixed sales (e.g. shop with flat)

Right to buy and similar sales

Sales of portfolios of properties

Properties not being sold with completely vacant possession

Unsafe properties and properties to be demolished.

Properties already on the market when the duty to have a Pack arises (1 August for sales of homes with 4 bedrooms or more, and 10 September for sales of homes with 3 bedrooms or more)

How Much will a HIP Cost?
The cost of the HIP will vary according to the property type and the way the HIP is presented. It is important to remember that some of the costs involved in producing the HIP already exist in the conveyancing process, and should therefore reduce costs normally incurred at a later stage.

What happens next?
Next Move Estates can assist you in arranging a HIP by instructing one of our many registered HIP Providers, whom we have negotiated discounts with for our clients. Provided that the pack has been requested in writing (and is accompanied by the appropriate payment or an undertaking to make the payment) and it is expected to become available within 28 days - we can start to market your property immediately.