Latest News

The Government today announced the roll-out of Home Information Packs (HIPs) to all properties marketed for sale in England and Wales from 14 December 2007, whatever their size.

Communities and Local Government issued a press release and Ministerial Statement on the full roll-out of HIPs and supporting activity to ensure continued smooth implementation.

Click here for the full article.

Please see below the latest version of PROGRESS Issue 23. In this issue:

Drop Dead Date

We have been asked to clarify the Drop Dead Date (DDD), what it means and when it applies.

No date has yet been set.

Currently, any property that was already on the market on the commencement date (i.e. 1 August 2007 for sales of homes with four or more bedrooms and 10 September 2007 for those with three or more bedrooms) does not need to have a HIP. However, a date will be set (the Drop Dead Date) when all properties that are on the market will be required to have a HIP, regardless of when they were first marketed. We will set this date in the light of market conditions as HIPs bed in.

The Government has today announced that Home Information Packs (HIPs) and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will be rolled out to three bedroom properties from September 10.

HIPs and EPCs are being introduced on a phased basis to ensure a smooth transition in the housing market, and to begin the process of transforming the home buying and selling process in the interests of consumers and the environment at the earliest opportunity.

Following the introduction of the packs for homes with four bedrooms and above on August 1, the Government has today confirmed there will be enough energy assessors, nationally and regionally, to roll out to three bedroom homes next month, having taken into account the operation of HIPs in the market.

HIPs and EPCs will give house buyers energy ratings for homes for the first time, from A to G - similar to consumer friendly ratings for fridges, helping to lower fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions. The packs will also help to cut costs for consumers by increasing transparency and competition in the home buying and selling process.

A further announcement on rolling out HIPs and EPCs to other properties will be made in due course. Our key criteria will be ensuring a smooth implementation and that the necessary energy assessors, both nationally and regionally, are in place.

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews said:

"We are now ready to start rolling out HIPs and EPCs to the next part of the market as promised, and improve a home buying and selling process which currently is not working for consumers or the environment."

"HIPs and EPCs can help families to save hundreds of pounds off their fuel bills, and cut a million tonnes of carbon a year. They also have the potential to reduce the millions of pounds wasted by consumers when buying and selling a home, by increasing transparency and competition in a process that hasn't changed for a generation."

Measures recommended in the EPC could save the average consumer £300 a year off their fuel bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Typical 'green grants' of £100 to £300 for energy saving improvements like loft insulation are available for many home owners.

A new system to make it easier for home owners to access these grants from energy suppliers was launched earlier this month. Energy suppliers are providing immediate access and information about green grants and offers to home buyers when they sign up to an energy contract. A new portal on the Energy Saving Trust's website also allows consumers to tap in their postcode to find out offers available.

A snapshot of leading HIP providers shows packs are taking five days on average to produce. Many major estate agent chains are offering HIPs as part of their ordinary fees. Others are charging in the region of £300 to £350 plus VAT on an upfront or deferred basis - £200 to £250 of which is already paid for in the current system.

Please see attached the latest version of PROGRESS Issue 17. In this issue:

• HIPs national advertising campaign
• Social housing pilot for EPCs
• House of Lords HIPs Regulations debate
• House of Commons
• Approval of RICS HIPs redress scheme

Click here for the full article.

Please see attached the latest version of PROGRESS Issue 15. In this issue:

• Joint letter with the Ombudsman for Estate Agents (OEA) on redress
• Update of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) pilot - reminder about the closing date
• Lords SI Merits Committee 2nd report on HIPs regulations published
• Overview of previous e-alerts and newsletters sent to you

Click here for the full article.

RICS has made a further statement on the implementation of Home Information Packs (HIPs) due on 1 August 2007.

Please click here to read the full statement.

RICS Housing spokesperson, Jeremy Leaf, responds to the Governments decision to delay the introduction of HIPs.

Please click here to read the full article.

As mentioned in PROGRESS Issue 12 on Friday 4th May, we stated the Procedural Guidance would be available shortly.

The procedural guidance to the HIP Regulations 2007 is now available. The guidance is intended to provide help on interpretation of the regulations and will be of particular interest to those who are directly involved in the production of the Home Information Packs.

Please click here to find your copy.

Please see attached the latest version of PROGRESS Issue 11.

The key topics covered in issue 11 are:

• Update on the Merits Committee report
• End of area trial incentives
• DEA Accreditation schemes approved
• Direct marketing – order your HIP toolkit in time for 1 June
• Handling HIPs booklet
• Consultation exercise on draft access guidance

Click here for the full article.

New Regulations have been placed before parliament and the details are set here: Home Information Pack Regulations.

This link includes the new Regulations and various other pieces of information, there are a number of concessions that are briefly detailed as follows:

• 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 1st June 2007 will not need a HIP unless they remain on the market after 31st December 2007

Training for Experienced Practitioners

Training will be available for Experienced Practitioners to achieve the Domestic Energy award either through the NAEA or RICS scheme with the first courses - 1 day only - all candidates must be RICS qualified, have RdSAP 2001 and undertake residential inspections regularly - further details will be available on the website:

Wakefield - 20th April 2007
Bath - 24th April 2007
Hemel Hempstead - 3rd May 2007
Kenilworth - 8th May 2007

We understand that there is concern regarding what was said in the budget regarding HIPs.

Any suggestion that HIPs will not go ahead on June 1st is untrue and a complete non-story. The Governments position is crystal clear - HIPs and EPCs will be introduced on the 1 June. Absolutely nothing has been said which contradicts this. EPCs will be produced before properties are put on the market so that buyers are informed about the energy efficiency of their prospective home before they make an offer.

We recognise that there are some vested interests who continue to oppose HIPs - the Government and green groups support them because we are serious about tackling climate change, reducing carbon emissions and improving the home buying and selling market. We urge everyone to support these efforts.

RICS has provided a comment on how HIPs and Energy performance Certificates should be implemented, together with a message from the RICS Residential Chairman (These articles are listed below). The RICS have obviously given considerable thought to their responses as have a number of others who are urging the Government to change their minds. Their proposals maybe very credible but are they just being vexatious or are they being constructive. One has to question the ability of all parties, that is Estate agents, HIP providers, Conveyancers, Surveyors, Home Inspectors, Domestic Energy Assessors, etc to be fully prepared for June 1st with all this uncertainty being introduced at this late stage, which is perpetuated because the Documentation and Accreditation are still not in place. This does not mean that something cannot be in place that will allow some progress to be made to where all parties seem to consider is worthwhile, although all seem to have a different way of getting there. In any situation that requires change then without strong leadership that plots a definitive route any form of anti-change movement will always be successful.

In the meantime those who take the initiative are placed in an extremely difficult position. Those against the proposals have to be even more constructive in their comments in considering those that will have to deliver something in the very near future.

RICS paper - Response to DCLG Consultation
A message from Jeremy Leaf, Chairman of RICS Residential Faculty
RICS view - HIPs and Energy Performance Certificates

As you will be aware the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive will begin to be implemented from the 1st June 2007. Initially this will cover the marketed sale of properties i.e. every property placed on the market will have to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This applies to both new build and existing properties.

How this will be applied for new build properties is still unclear but we believe Authorised SAP assessors will be able to produce the EPC in the same way as SAP certificates. The FAERO competent person scheme will eventually take over this roll. The Elmhurst (FAERO) competent person scheme will be launched over the next week and we will send further details then, alternatively keep an eye on our website www.elmhurstenergy.co.uk

For existing properties the EPC will be produced as part of the HIP by a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) or Home Inspector (HI). We have updated our website with details of the various options new entrant or existing practitioner.

The existing practitioner course starts from £750 + VAT (including all costs; training, assessment, manuals, registration with NAEA and exam fees). This course we believe is the most cost effective qualification route to achieving the Diploma in Domestic Energy Assessing. Existing Practitioner DEA training.

We hope you find this information useful.