Maidenhead Property Articles

The Government has come up with some new proposal of reforms for the HIPs. It also clarified the mandatory contents and the introduction deadline.

From the 1st of June 2007 in England and Wales, legally the sellers of residential property or their estate agents will be required to have a Home Information Pack before putting it up for sale.

The latest information we, at Appletons, have received from the Government indicates that the following documents have to be present in the HIP:

• An index (i.e. a list of the contents of the Pack)
• A sale statement (summarising terms of sale)
• Evidence of title
• Standard searches (i.e. local authority enquiries and a drainage and water search)
• An Energy Performance Certificate
• Where appropriate, commonhold information (including a copy of the commonhold community statement)
• Where appropriate, leasehold information (including a copy of the lease, information on service charges and insurance)
• Where appropriate, a New Homes Warranty
• Where appropriate, a report on a home that is not physically complete

Also all the searches and the Leasehold information have to be produced within 28 days of the property being marketed and there will be fines for marketing the property without the HIP.

For more information, please refer to the official information at www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk.