Tougher home pack rules now in force

Homeowners must now comply with tougher rules on home information packs (Hips) when selling their property.

From 6 April vendors are required to purchase a Hip before they can put their house on the market. Under previous regulations, simply placing an order for a Hip would have been sufficient.

Vendors must also complete a new Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) detailing pre-sale information such as the home’s council tax band and parking arrangements.

Mike Ockenden, director general of the Association of Hip Providers, welcomed the changes. ‘Hips provide buyers with a great deal of important information that should be taken into consideration before making an offer, from the home's energy efficiency to local search information.’

However, some critics fear the new rules will create delays for homeowners seeking a quick sale, while others claim the reforms could hamper the recovery of the UK’s ailing housing market.

‘An expensive waste of time is counterproductive at the best of times, but in a housing slump Hips are downright damaging,’ commented Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents.

If a property is put on the market without the mandatory Hip and PIQ, estate agents or private sellers may incur fines of at least £200.