Issue 9 : 29 March 2007

www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk

PROGRESS TOWARDS GO LIVE ON 1 JUNE

We are continuing to make good progress ahead of the introduction of HIPs on 1 June. The purpose of this bulletin is to bring you up-to-date with the latest headlines, with further information available on the Home Information Packs website.

Home Information Pack Regulations

The Home Information Pack Regulations 2007 were laid before Parliament this morning. This represents a major milestone in the HIP timetable and the culmination of a significant amount of discussion with stakeholders to fine tune the policy.

Following the consultation in January, we have made a small number of changes, taking on board the comments received. As a result, the Regulations require that:

• For a transitional period, sellers can market their homes with a HIP that includes the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), sale statement, evidence of title and index; and evidence that other documents have been commissioned and will be included in the pack as soon as practicable (and certainly within 28 days);
• The EPC is included as the first document in the pack, following the index;
• For those properties that cannot have an EPC — such as those bought ‘off-plan’ — a separate energy assessment will be included;
• The duty to refresh time-sensitive parts of the HIP will not arise where the property is re-marketed by the same seller within one year of the original marketing date;
• Personal search companies will be allowed to use insurance immediately for those parts of the search where they cannot gain access to data. This will only apply for a transitional period until April 2008;
• Properties already on the market by 1 June 2007 will not need a HIP unless they remain on the market after 31 December 2007.

The Regulations and a summary of the consultation responses are available on the HIPs website.

National advertising campaign

The national campaign to tell the home-owning public about the introduction of Home Information Packs began on Sunday 25 March (see advert below) and is continuing in the daily national newspapers this week. Advertising will continue in these national and additional regional newspapers up to and beyond HIPs introduction on 1 June. Adverts will also appear in relevant consumer property focused magazines in April, May and June.

DEAs/HIs numbers update

We now have in excess of 3,000 Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) candidates in training, with more registering every week.

Over 1,000 people have now passed the Home Inspector exam.

We expect between 2,500 and 3,000 to be available on 1 June.

Area trials update

More than 2,400 HIPs have been claimed across the eight Area Trials, with almost 700 HIPs requested in phase 2, where the mandatory components of the HIP are free, while the Home Condition Report (HCR) is paid for.

And the time taken to produce a HIP is improving — it is now approximately 10 days, with the shortest time recorded 2 days.

Upcoming events

Housing and Planning Minister Yvette Cooper is due to speak at the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) HIPs are happening conference in London on 18 April.