Hip view (Home Information Packs and Energy Performance Certificates EPC

Mike Ockenden, Director General, Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP), responds to new research into the flouting of HIP regulations:

“Research suggesting that half of all housing transactions are taking place without a completed HIP in place is simply not true. We have strong statistical evidence that compliance with the legislation is now running at over 95% and by working with local trading standards officers we are currently taking action to drive compliance from the remaining 5%.

“Further, there is an acceptance among trading standards officers that the clarity provided by 6th April regulation changes will allow them to now start issuing fining notices, where relevant.

“Grant Shapps has said that he is not suggesting people break the law and yet the tenor of his comments seem to almost incite agents to do just that. This is dangerous territory and estate agents are well advised not to jump on a non-existent bandwagon of non-compliance.

“We understand Grant Shapps to have said he is pragmatic and not dogmatic in his approach to housing matters - this needs to include HIPs. We look forward to working with Mr Shapps to demonstrate this is the case.”

In this months EAFOCUS magazine Jon Hilton makes the misleading statement about personal Search companies that, “some even offer Personal Water Searches (which they shouldn’t) He does not bother to say why they shouldn’t and it is this type of flippant, misleading comment that gets picked up by the media and the trade giving Personal Search Companies a bad name. There is absolutely no reason why Personal DW con 29 reports cannot be in Hips provided they contain the proscribed information in the proscribed manner. Of course, just like local authorities, water companies will not give access to the information required to complete these reports as they wish to maintain their monopoly position. Instead of introducing charging for public information, government should be following it’s beloved EU and making access free to all as it is to local authorities and water companies

Nick Small, Pali, Ltd.