Hip view (Home Information Packs and Energy Performance Certificates EPC

The Association of Independent Personal Search Agents (IPSA) has today completed a partial survey of its members in relation to their combined burden of bad debt. The survey has revealed the amount IPSA members have written-off since the introduction of Home Information Packs due to non-payment, liquidation, alleged fraudulent trading and improper business conduct.

Christian Lister, IPSA Chairman is shocked by the results, he commented; ‘The results are horrific especially when the majority of the debt instigators were PCCB registered or members of a hip trade association displaying the HIP Code logo. Allowing for the fact that these are only interim figures* with some members yet to finalise their losses the total number could well exceed seven figures. These institutions set industry standards and are there to give the consumer confidence in the quality of the product they are purchasing.’

Home Information Pack providers are at the frontline in dealing with consumers, mostly taking payment for goods up-front. ‘Some of these
companies have left a trail of destruction in their wake,’ stated IPSA member Steve Davies. He continued: ‘As search agents we are required to pay for Professional Indemnity Insurance as protection for all consumers using our services. All of these failed HIP companies have left their suppliers with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of unpaid bills, which raises the issue of the title of goods being called into question.’

The auditable figure of £779,561.30* if divided by the average cost of a member’s search fee would mean that insurers have not passed title on these unpaid goods, leaving an estimated 7796 Local Authority Searches within Home Information Packs uninsured.

‘This is a consumer’s worst nightmare,’ said Christian, ‘and I believe the PCCB and hip trade associations must now stand on their key message of consumer protection and investigate the implications of this to the general public at large. I will not accept that this situation is, as one trade association Director is reported to have remarked ‘it’s just business’. It’s almost criminal and something must be done

GroundSure is improving the ‘GroundSure Homebuyers Report’, effective from 1st September 2009. These important changes will include the following key elements:

Introduction of a formal Flood Risk Assessment

GroundSure is introducing an explicit flood risk assessment opinion to the GroundSure Homebuyers report in order to provide solicitors with a robust and dependable opinion on both Contaminated Land and Flood Risk Assessment in a single report.

GroundSure have listened to concerns from solicitors regarding environmental searches that subsequently recommend a further flood risk search report. This situation not only provides for additional cost but also potentially the inconvenience of having to place a second search order.

GroundSure are determined that the GroundSure Homebuyers continues to be regarded as the quality product in the market and therefore they have decided to incorporate flood risk information as standard. GroundSure will continue to provide GroundSure Flood as a separate standalone residential flood search report for those clients wishing to purchase this product.

Key features of the report include:

• Use of the recognised, most advanced historical land use database in the UK

• A “Passed” or “Further Assessment” certificate providing clear guidance

• The lowest “Further Assessment” rate in the market based upon:

- Highest quality of data available;

- Review of all “Further Assessment” cases before issue to the client

• A detailed Flood Risk Assessment based on the latest available data

• Access to the GroundSure £60,000 remediation contribution*

• Backed by £5 million professional indemnity insurance

• Only GroundSure include the potential for natural ground stability

In addition to Contaminated Land, the GroundSure Homebuyers report covers:

• Historic Military/Ordnance sites

• Coal mining screening

• Shallow mining assessment

• Natural ground subsidence assessment

• Mobile transmitter locations

• Planning Hazardous Substance Consents

• Underground High Pressure Oil and Gas Pipelines

• Detailed radon exposure

• Natural & mining cavities

• Underground working & mining

• Potentially infilled land

• Environmentally sensitive sites including National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty  and World Heritage site

Price Increase to £41.70 excl. VAT

From 1st September 2009 the GroundSure Homebuyers will increase to £41.70 excl. VAT. This price increase comes as a result of significantly increased costs to GroundSure from the Environment Agency, whose valuable datasets comprise a fundamental element of the report.

*Subject to relevant terms