Some estate agents 'charge 50% more for Hips'

Posted: 24 Aug 2009 09:18:17 GMT

Those looking to sell their house should shop around when it comes to purchasing a Home Information Pack (Hip), one industry spokesperson explained.

Lesley Sorridimi of HIPHIPhooray, said that purchasing a Hip through an independent online vendor would be "an absolutely fine thing to do" as long as house sellers were confident that the service was fully compliant.

Estate agents do offer the service, but Ms Sorridimi reminded homeowners that they should have a choice and "consumers have a right to shop around".

According to a study carried out by Which? Money, Hips bought from a specialist could cost as much as 50 per cent less than if purchased from an estate agent.

She added that those who are selling their property should also be aware that even if they do purchase their Hip through an estate agent, the document belongs to the seller.

House vendors can then take that Hip with them whether they choose to sell privately or through a different agent.

Which? Money noted that the best deals on a Hip were found with direct sellers, however, there were still differences of as much as £191 between the cheapest and most expensive deals.

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