FAQ

HIPs

What is a Home Information Pack?

Home Information Packs are now compulsory for all sellers of residential property in England and Wales (with the exception of tenanted properties, and some other minor exceptions). It is an offence to market a property unless a Home Information Pack (HIP) is available for inspection by a prospective buyer.

The purpose of the Home Information Pack is to ensure that certain relevant documents and searches are available when the property is marketed.

What is a Basic/Market Ready HIP?

The Basic HIP is a partial HIP that needs to be in place before a property can be marketed. It applies where the first day of marketing of a property falls on or after 6th April. A full HIP is still required within 28 days of the first point of marketing.

How do I order my HIP?

You /our agents can order your HIP using our sophisticated online ordering and tracking system. As soon as the order has been placed, our system gets to work assembling the legal components of the pack and ordering the searches and the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). When all the documents are available you will get an automated email or text to your mobile phone. The completed HIP will be available for you to view online and printed if required. You can log on and track the progress of your HIP at any stage.

How do I pay for my HIP?

Payment is made at the time of ordering by credit/debit card, cheque or bank transfer.

Payment can be deferred till the property is sold or for over a nine month period.

EPC

Do I need an EPC?

If you are renting or selling a home you now need a certificate by law. From October 2008 EPCs will be required whenever a building is built, sold or rented.

What is the total price I will have to pay for an EPC?

Our latest prices are shown here: FEES SECTION

Are there any add on fees afterwards?

No. We operate a flat fee policy. Once you have paid the above price, there is nothing more to pay. There are no hidden fees.

How long will the EPC take to complete?

We will contact you very shortly after you have placed the order to arrange a convenient time to visit the property. On average our EPC turnaround time is 3 working days.

Do you provide EPCs in my area?

Yes we are nationwide. We can provide HIPs and EPCs in any part of England and Wales.

Will somebody need to visit my property?

Yes one of our trained domestic energy assessors will contact you shortly after you have placed your order to arrange a convenient time to visit your property. The visit will take approximately one hour and will include tasks such as measuring your rooms, checking for insulation and examining your light bulbs and boiler systems etc.