| At Hegarty LLP Solicitors we can compile your Home Information Pack (HIP) very quickly and for a competitive fixed cost (currently £275 + VAT for an electronic copy). To help people understand more about HIPs we have provided answers to the following frequently asked questions: |
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| What is a Home Information Pack? |
| A Home Information Pack (HIP) is a set of documents that provides important information about a property, the boundaries and ownership, planning permissions and its energy efficiency. |
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| How much will I pay for the Home Information Pack? |
| Hegarty Solicitors charge £275 + VAT to compile your HIP. This price is for an electronic copy, paper copies will be an additional £15 + VAT per copy. You must pay for your HIP upfront. |
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| When do you have to provide a HIP? |
| If you are marketing a property which falls within the scope of the scheme during the temporary period then the HIP must be commissioned before marketing can begin. The temporary period runs from 01 August for properties with 4 bedrooms or more, 10 September for 3 bedroom properties and 14 December for 1 and 2 bedroom properties until 01 June 2008. During the temporary period the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be provided before contracts are exchanged, although there is no set time limit by which the rest of the HIP must be provided. If you are marketing a property on or after 14 December 2007, the HIP including the EPC must be available to anyone interested in the property from the time it is first placed on the market. |
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| Will HIPs help the current buying and selling process? |
| The purpose of HIPs is to improve the process of buying and selling a home by providing key documents at the time the property is put on the market. Traditionally, this information has not been available until after an offer has been made, therefore it has often caused sales to be renegotiated or to collapse altogether. It remains to be seen whether the process will be improved as a result of the introduction of the requirement to produce a HIP. |
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| My house was on the market before the deadline, what do I need to do? |
| Properties that were genuinely on the market before 01 August or the 10 September 2007 (depending on the size of your property) will not need a pack. This exemption will apply for as long as marketing continues. However the Government may appoint a date at which all properties on the market will be subject to the HIP regulations, regardless of when they were first marketed. |
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| Do you need a HIP if you sell your home privately? |
| If you wish to sell your property without marketing, i.e. to a relative, you do not need a HIP. |
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| Are HIPs required across the UK? |
| No, only England and Wales |
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| What goes in a HIP? |
| Compulsory Items - |
Home Information Pack Index |
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EPC |
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Sale Statement |
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Standard Searches |
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Evidence of Title |
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Leasehold / Commonhold information if appropriate |
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| Who pays for the Pack? |
| The seller is responsible for the cost of the HIP. |
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| How long does it take to prepare a HIP? |
| We understand that people want a HIP to be prepared as quickly as possible so there is no delay in putting the property on the market. We aim to produce a HIP within 48 hours of being instructed. |
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| What to do if you require a HIP |
Please contact a member of the conveyancing team for a quotation and explanation on the new conveyancing procedures. We will be happy to help. |
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