Delay for Hips
Published on : 23/05/2007
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The government has announced that the introduction home information packs (Hips) will take place on August 1st rather than at the beginning next month.
The system has been further modified so that Hips will now be only needed on sales of four-bedroom or larger properties - and individuals will be able to market their homes as soon as they have commissioned their pack rather than as soon as they receive it.
Officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government said that the delay became necessary after the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors applied for a judicial review over Hips and energy performance certificates - saying that they government had failed carry out a proper consultation on them.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) welcomed the delay: "We support energy improvement measures," CML director general Michael Coogan commented.
"But, in our view, HIPs are not a prerequisite for delivering the green agenda. With the fundamental lack of confidence that now exists in them, we urge the government to ditch the gold-plating and concentrate on better ways of delivering its objectives."
In contrast the Association of Home Information Pack Providers expressed its "utter disappointment" at the announcement - saying it came at the cost of both the "consumer and the environment".
