Revised HIP Regulations

The main changes to Home Information Packs following the new regulations which were laid before Parliament on 29 March 2007 are as follows: -

1. A property can now be marketed without having to wait for the local authority search or, where relevant, leasehold information. These can now follow within 28 days.
2. The Energy Performance Certificate will now be the first document placed in the pack after the index.
3. Properties originally put on the market before 1 June 2007 will now need a pack after 31 December 2007 if they are still on the market at that date (it was previously 31 October 2007).
4. Predicted Energy Assessments will be needed for homes that are not yet built, instead of the Energy Performance Certificate. There will also be interim energy assessments for new homes built in accordance with the energy efficiency requirements of the building regulations that came in to force in April 2006. These are only to be used until 1 October 2007 in place of the full Energy Performance Certificate.

Some questions we are being frequently asked are: -

1. Do we need a local search for each plot on new build developments?
   
   No, it is now permitted for the local search to cover the whole site rather than an individual local search for each plot.
2. On new build plot sales, can we have an Energy Performance Certificate based on a standard house type?
   
   No, the Energy Performance Certificate or Predicted Energy Assessment will need to be on a plot by plot basis.
3. For Housing Association shared ownership assignments "resales" - do we need to supply a Home Information Pack?
   
   It will be the seller's responsibility to provide the pack if they market the property on the open market. However, if the assignment is to a person on the Association's waiting list the need for a pack does not arise.
4. How do we get an Energy Performance Certificate or Predicted Energy Assessment?
   
   We will be able to provide those for you. However, you may, on a new build development, want your architect or builder to provide them as part of their service. To do this the builder or architect will need to have passed the energy assessor qualifications.
   
   Note to the Development Department of Associations - you may wish to check with your contractors and/or architects whether they have anybody who has qualified as an energy assessor and will be able provide the certificates. If they do not, we will be able to provide them for you. Please contact us for further information.
5. I have heard that an Energy Performance Certificate will be needed on the rental of properties?
   
   The current timetable for implementation means that an Energy Performance Certificate will be needed on the sale or rent of all residential properties (whether a HIP is required or not) from 1 October 2008. This therefore includes the rented stock of all private and social landlords and this will include right to buy sales.