home information packs

Home Information Packs will be introduced on a phased basis from 1st August 2007 from when they will be required for the sale of four bedroom properties and larger. Smaller properties will be phased in as soon as sufficient energy assessors are fully qualified. Until the end of 2007, properties can be marketed as soon as a pack is commissioned, and as a temporary measure Energy Performance Certificates can be up to 12 months old when a property is put up for sale.  

If you market your property after 1st August 2007 it will be an offence not to provide a HIP, also commonly known as a Legal Pack.  The Legal Pack comprises:  

• A sale statement
• Evidence of title Standard searches
• An Energy Performance Certificate
• Where appropriate, commonhold/leasehold information  

We are part of a company called Hallmark HIPs which has been set up by a group of eight local firms of solicitors and two chartered surveyors. It has been thre years in the making and we have invested a huge amount of time in making sure it works.  Importantly, it has a team of energy assessors ready.  We feel that the lack of trained energy assessors is likely to be the biggest problem in producing HIPs.  Hallmark have this problem cracked and we have over twenty-five energy assessors on our books.  Over fifty estate agents in the Bristol, Bath and Swindon areas have signed up with Hallmark. The Law Society’s scheme for producing Legal Packs will be used by Hallmark and by appointing Cooke Painter Ltd. Solicitors for your conveyancing we will be able to efficiently deal with the production of a Legal Pack for your house move.    We anticipate that some estate agents may offer to provide Legal Packs. 

The advantage of the pack which we produce is that you will able to use it with any estate agent, or several estate agents if you decide to sell your home on a multi-agency basis.  Packs produced by estate agents are not likely to be transferable in the same way.   

Currently, we are participating in the Land Registry’s Chain Matrix project. This trial run is designed to test the Land Registry’s plans to make conveyancing more up-to-date. The experience we have gained by being involved in the earliest stages of this new system have proved invaluable and enabled us to be better placed, than many of our competitors, to help you through what has traditionally been a potentially stressful experience.  

Cooke Painter Ltd. Solicitors are market leaders in conveyancing and offer each client an individual service. Our costs for HIP’s are competitive and value for money and should you wish to find out more please use the following:  

If you wish to contact us click here and fill in the online form.

Use our online conveyancing quote here