Nearly a third of estate agent HIPs found to be ‘unsatisfactory’

Research by trading standards officers in Birmingham found that 30% of Home Information Packs (HIPs) provided by estate agents were unsatisfactory.

It’s thought that there are similar problems with HIPs provided by estate agents throughout the rest of the country.

Common faults included “no consumer information, no company contact details and no information on complaint and redress procedures”. There were also technical issues relating to searches and the index that has to be provided with the HIP.

HIPs have to be provided when selling a property in England and Wales. They have been compulsory since 2007 and should contain various documents including Energy Performance Certificates, title documents and the results of local searches.

Trading standards officers tested 25% of the estate agent market in Birmingham by visiting the offices of individual firms and requesting HIPs for some of the properties on sale. The HIPs were then assessed by the Property Codes Compliance Board.

Chris Neville, head of Trading Standards at Birmingham City Council, said: “Buyers should be aware that not all HIPs can be taken at face value as being accurate.”

The Law Society recently issued advice urging sellers to consult a solicitor about providing a HIP because they are likely to get a better service at a lower price. A spokesman said: “The added benefit of using a solicitor is that they are all strictly regulated and required to follow stringent rules, unlike estate agents.”

Please contact us if you would like more information about HIPs or any aspect of buying or selling a home.