The Basics

How much is a HIP?

The cost of a HIP seems to vary wildly and many estate agents have chosen to set up their own operations to provide this service. Unfortunately in many cases this seems to lead tp still higher costs. Our view is that we do not want to be involved in this in any way other than assisting you to meet the requirements at the lowest cost possible. To this end we work closely with a local firm who will produce the HIP within 24 hours on instruction and will charge you direct their fee of £200 + VAT. We guarantee we do not receive anything from this payment.

What is a HIP?

A Home Information Pack (also known as the HIP) is compulsory for most homes on the market in England and Wales. The HIP is a set of documents that provides the buyer with key information on the property and must be provided by the seller or the seller's agent. It is a legal requirement to have a HIP and in most cases, a property cannot be marketed without one.

The HIP lets buyers see important information about the property at the start of the process, free of charge. This means there is less chance of buyers becoming aware of any surprises at the end of the process. The HIP can help reduce delays and extra expense to the buyer and seller and is made up of the following compulsory and optional items:

Compulsory documents

The following documents must be included in your HIP:

Freehold properties

  • Home Information Pack Index
  • the new Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ), from 6 April 2009
  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) or Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA)
  • sustainability information (required for newly built homes)
  • sale statement
  • evidence of title
  • standard searches (local authority and drainage and water)
Leasehold properties
  • all the compulsory documents above
  • a copy of the lease

Optional Documents

Other documents can be included within your HIP, but these are optional. If they are included, it could help to speed up the sale and ensure that the process goes more smoothly. These include:

  • Home Condition Report
  • legal summary
  • home use/contents form
  • other documents like specialist searches (for example, the seller may choose to include a mining search in a mining area)
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