The term ‘HIPs’ (standing for Home Information Packs) has now become apart of the language for estate agents and those selling their homes, as from December last year everyone selling a home must commission this 32 page document which includes legal information relating to the property and an Energy Performance Certificate similar to that seen on new cars and fridges.

This was originally expected to cause major disruption to the industry but it has so far been introduced in stages and in a much cheaper and watered down form, and without the Home Condition Report originally proposed, as not enough specially trained surveyors were available.

The HIP still has potential to cause disruption as from 1st June all the documentation and the Energy Performance Certificate must be in place and available to potential buyers before the home can be offered for sale.

An announcement confirming this is due this month (MAY08) but on past performance it is likely that the government will not impose all the conditions previously set out – although all their previous rulings have never been as expected by the industry who are largely against this added bureaucracy which is borne largely by estate agents and a whole new industry of ‘HIP providers’ geared up to deal with the million or more homes that go on the market every year.

Leading Estate Agents Robinson-Jackson have long been aware of the importance of HIPs to the marketing of their clients homes and have spent the last few years developing and adapting their in house HIPs operation in conjunction with Robinson-Jackson conveyancing run by local solicitors Cook Taylor Woodhouse.

Group general manager Ron Kennor, himself a qualified Home Inspector and Energy Assessor, commented “ We realised from the start that we should not be dependant on an unproven outside supplier of Home Information Packs  (as all the HIP companies were) so we spent many months of discussion and research finding a system which is both  utterly reliable, keenly priced and within our control. We are unique amongst local independent estate agents in having a dedicated team of our own qualified energy assessors who I work closely with to ensure the smooth running of the operation. I also do some local energy inspections myself to help further understand and develop the systems from an estate agents point of view.”