31/08/2007

HIPS on three bedroom properties

The government has confirmed that all properties three bedrooms and over, will need a HIPS pack with effect from the 10th September. They also confirmed that there were enough energy assessors nationally and regionally to cover the workload. Said Communities minister Baroness Andrews, ” We are now ready to start rolling out HIPS and EPCs to the next part of the market as promised, and improve a home buying and selling process which currently is not working for consumers or the environment.”

Meanwhile controversy surrounding HIPS rumbles on with mortgage lenders hitting back at HIP scare stories regarding a leading bank not accepting personal searches. However, it seems that members of the Council of Mortgage Lenders have agreed that as long as the property search organisation is a member of the Council of Property Search Organisations, then the lenders will accept the search. Paul Broadhead, Deputy Director General of the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) said “While it is clear that HSBC will not accept personal searches, this is nothing new and has always been their policy. However, it is important to note, that nine out of the ten lenders, which represent over 75% of all mortgage lending in the UK, will in fact accept personal searches.”

For government guidelines see www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk.

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