Home Information Pack (HIP)

The HIP was brought out in August 2007 for 4 bedroom properties and above and was gradually introduced to the rest of the market and made compulsory for everyone by January 2008.

The HIP was introduced to the selling of properties to make the sale process a smoother transaction for the legal process. The HIP includes Local searches, Drainage searches, title information, and a sale statement and also confirms whether the property is leasehold or freehold. If the property is leasehold the HIP will also contain vital leasehold information.

The HIP also requires you to have an energy performance certificate (EPC) which shows you and the prospective buyers how energy efficient your property is and also gives recommendations on how to make the property more energy efficient.

The HIP can be arranged by your estate agent or you can employ your own solicitor or HIP provider to produce one for you. This generally costs around £500 Inc VAT.

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Also see:

Selling quickly - home information packs