Government backtracks on Hips

Posted: 19 Jul 2006 11:01:18 GMT

The government has confirmed that Home Condition Reports (HCRs) will only be a voluntary part of Home Information Packs (Hips) when they are introduced in June next year.

It represents something of a success for those who have consistently lambasted the idea of sellers' packs, although many still feel that the Hip scheme should be abolished entirely.

Philip Davies, chief executive of Linden Homes, remarked: "Finally the government has accepted that the introduction of HCRs on a mandatory basis next June would have crippled the housing market and led to a shortage of supply, fuelling an increase in selling prices.

"There is little benefit in transferring the expense of the legal searches from the buyer to the seller, so the government should simply get on with introducing the Energy Performance Certificate under the European Directive and consign the rest of the Hip fiasco to the scrap heap."

It is not a view shared by all, however, with the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) lamenting the latest decision.

"A recent survey by an AHIPP member Your Move found that 85 per cent of consumers would welcome the HCR as part of the pack - the government's decision to allow the HCR to be voluntary at the start is wholly unnecessary," said Mike Ockenden, director general of AHIPP.

AHIPP will be carrying out an early trial of Hips towards the end of the year and the HCR will be included in this scheme.

Mr Ockenden continues to insist that the HCR will be extremely popular with most of those looking to sell a house and he suggests that it will eventually become mandatory.


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