Many home buyers not even looking at Home Information Packs

According to a recent report many potential home buyers are failing to look at a Home Information Pack before putting an offer in on a property. Home Information Packs, or HIPs, were introduced last year, and by December had become compulsory on all properties being marketed for sale in England and Wales. However, despite enthusiasm from some government officials with regards to the effectiveness of these packs, it seems that they are not proving as successful as officials had hoped.

Recent trials have shown that only one in every six home purchasers is actually looking at the Home Information Pack prior to placing on offer on the property, and this has brought into question the need and effectiveness of these packs. The Labour government and housing minister are still keen to continue with HIPs, but some other officials, such as estate agents and even the shadow housing minister, have stated that these packs are in fact a waste of time.

Following the trial the housing minister, Caroline Flint, stated: ‘What is clear from the trials is more buyers wanted to see the Hip but it was not always made available to them. We have taken action to increase awareness of the right to see a Hip and to remind agents of their responsibility to provide one. Consumers are benefiting. Search costs are falling, first time buyers are receiving important information.’

However, they have been described as a waste of time by the shadow housing minister, who stated: ‘These results reveal what we and the industry have known all along, Hips are a complete waste of time. It is proving to be a very costly and bureaucratic joke. The Hip hasn’t made the process quicker or more certain, it has simply made it more expensive and choked in paperwork. It is the time this Government scrapped Hips once and for all.’

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