Home Information Packs

Anyone who markets a residential property for sale is legally required to have a Home Information Pack (HIP) for that property.

The following are compulsory elements in the Home Information Pack - otherwise known as 'required' documents:

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)
This tells you how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes should, in theory, have the lowest fuel bills and are in band A. 

The EPC also tells you, on a scale of A-G, about the impact the home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (C02) emissions.

The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings.

The EPC also includes recommendations on ways to improve a property's energy efficiency.
Sale statement This provides some basic information about the property, including:

• The address of the property being sold;
• Whether the property is freehold, leasehold or Commonhold;
• Whether the property is registered or unregistered; and
• Whether or not the property is being sold with vacant possession.

 

Searches
The searches include:

• The local land charges register relating to the property being sold.
  Other records held by the local authority on matters of interest to buyers, such as planning decisions and road building proposals. These are referred to as local enquiries in the HIP regulations; and
  The provision of drainage and water services to the property.

Note: If your home remains on the market for more than three months, you will have to refresh the searches contained in your pack.

Evidence of title
These documents prove that the seller owns and has the right to sell a property. Where the property being sold is registered, documents from the Land Registry must be included in the HIP. These provide an up-to-date official record of who owns the land, and consist of:
Official copies of the individual register (made up of a property register, proprietorship register and, typically, a charges register);
An official copy of the title plan; and
For sales of unregistered land, a HIP must include copies of a certificate of an official search of the index map (obtained from the Land Registry), and those documents that the seller intends to rely on to provide evidence of title to the property.

Leasehold and Commonhold documents
Most of the documents that must be included in a HIP are applicable to all transactions, but some are needed only for leasehold and Commonhold sales.  The required leasehold documents are:

• A copy of the lease;
• Any regulations or rules that apply to the property that aren't mentioned in the lease and any proposed amendments to same;
• Statements or summaries of service charges covering the previous 36 months;
• Where appropriate, the most recent requests for payment of service charges, ground rent, insurance against damage for the building in which the property is situated, and insurance in respect of personal injury caused by or within the building during the 12-month period before marketing began;
• The name and address of the current or proposed lessor, and details of any managing agent that has been appointed or proposed by the lessor to manage the property; and
• A summary of any works being undertaken or proposed that will affect the property or the building in which it's situated.

 

• HIP index
  A HIP index simply lists all of the documents contained in the HIP.  The index provides a checklist for all concerned, and where a document is unavailable, the index must say so, give the reason it is missing, and indicate what steps are being taken to obtain it. Where documents are added to or removed from the HIP at a later stage, the index should be revised accordingly.  
  
  There are also optional elements to a HIP (known as 'authorised' documents). These include:
  Home Condition Reports
• Legal summary
• Home use/contents forms
• Other documents, such as non-standard searches

 

Note: only required and authorised documents may be included in the HIP.