Home Information Packs Update - September 2006

The Department for Communities and Local Government issued a statement about Home Information Packs on 21 September 2006. For the full text of the statement, please see Communities and Local Government News Release 2006/0106.

Highlights of the announcement are:

Confirmation that HIPs will be introduced on 1st June 2007 and they will include mandatory Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), searches and other legal documents, and voluntary Home Condition Reports

£4 million has been pledged to support area trials, working in partnership with AHIPP. The first 6 will be in Bath, Newcastle, Southampton, Northampton, Huddersfield and Cambridge, and will start in November.

SAVA is currently going through the approval process to become the first Certification Scheme for Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors. We hope that this will be completed in time to enable them to certify inspectors before the area trials begin.

Both Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors will require an appropriate qualification and be members of an approved Certification Scheme.

National Occupational Standards for Energy Assessors will be available in February 2007. This will provide a framework for a separate qualification for energy inspection.

Landmark Solutions have been selected as the preferred bidder to set up the Home Condition Report Register and we are now in the final stages of contract negotiation with them.

To ensure security and facilitate quality assurance, EPCs will be required to be lodged on a register.

Ian McCartney, Minister for Consumer Affairs, has invited applications to run the redress schemes that estate agents providing HIPs will need to belong to from June 2007. He has also published the criteria to be used to assess the suitability of applicants.

The intention is that from 1st June 2007, consumers will have a single point of access for all complaints affecting the buying and selling of homes.

Help Us Support the British Red Cross
Make a positive difference for the homeless and those in crisis around the world: Make A Donation

Home Buying

Home Selling

Home Finance

Home Services

Home Information

Home Business

	Confirmation that HIPs will be introduced on 1st June 2007 and they will include mandatory Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), searches and other legal documents, and voluntary Home Condition Reports
	£4 million has been pledged to support area trials, working in partnership with AHIPP. The first 6 will be in Bath, Newcastle, Southampton, Northampton, Huddersfield and Cambridge, and will start in November.
	SAVA is currently going through the approval process to become the first Certification Scheme for Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors. We hope that this will be completed in time to enable them to certify inspectors before the area trials begin.
	Both Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors will require an appropriate qualification and be members of an approved Certification Scheme.
	National Occupational Standards for Energy Assessors will be available in February 2007. This will provide a framework for a separate qualification for energy inspection.
	Landmark Solutions have been selected as the preferred bidder to set up the Home Condition Report Register and we are now in the final stages of contract negotiation with them.
	To ensure security and facilitate quality assurance, EPCs will be required to be lodged on a register.
	Ian McCartney, Minister for Consumer Affairs, has invited applications to run the redress schemes that estate agents providing HIPs will need to belong to from June 2007. He has also published the criteria to be used to assess the suitability of applicants.
	The intention is that from 1st June 2007, consumers will have a single point of access for all complaints affecting the buying and selling of homes.