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What are HIPs?

Before HIPs were introduced, buyers usually had to wait until after they had made a formal offer before they saw essential information on the property. The HIP gives you a chance to see these important documents before you make an offer.

The seller must have commissioned a HIP by the time a property is put on the market.

What is in a HIP?

The HIP is made up of required (compulsory) and authorised (optional) items.

There shouldn't be any marketing or advertising material in the pack, so make sure it contains official information only.

Listed below are all the compulsory documents that need to be included:

• Home Information Pack Index
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
• sustainability information (required for newly built homes only)
• sale statement
• evidence of title
• standard searches (local authority and drainage and water)
• leasehold and commonhold documents where appropriate

For a complete guide to the compulsory and optional documents follow the links below.

• HIPs: compulsory items
• HIPs: optional items

What do you need to do?

Just ask whoever is advertising the property for sale for a copy of the HIP. This is usually an estate agent, but could be another business or individual.

They must give you a copy of the HIP free of charge if you ask for it (although they may make a reasonable charge to cover the costs of copying and posting it).

You should get your copy of the HIP within 14 days of the request being made.

When is a HIP available?

The HIP must be commissioned and paid for (or arrangement for payment made) before the property is marketed for sale.

Checking the HIP

You should check to see if any of the compulsory documents are missing. If any documents are missing make sure that there is a satisfactory explanation and an assurance that the missing items will be provided as soon as possible.

Check to see if a Home Condition Report has been included by the seller. A Home Condition Report doesn't have to be included in the HIP by the seller but it could speed up the buying process if they have included one.

Should you choose to enter into negotiations to buy a property, you should pass the HIP to your solicitor, who will find it useful in their pre-contract enquiries.

How much will a HIP cost?

If you're a buyer, nothing: you'll get a copy of the HIP free on any property you're interested in (although you may be asked to pay copying and postage costs).

With HIPs, the overall costs of buying and selling a home are similar to the costs before they were introduced but are now spread more evenly between the buyer and seller.

The Energy Performance Certificate is a compulsory part of the HIP and is paid for by the seller.

What can you do if a HIP/EPC isn't provided?

Sellers have to provide the pack within 14 days of a request from a buyer. A seller can refuse to provide a copy in limited cases. This is usually when a seller believes that the person making the request:

• could not afford the property
• is not really interested in buying the property
• is not a person who the seller would wish to sell the property to (but this does not allow them to unlawfully discriminate against someone)

If you believe that you are being denied a copy of the pack unlawfully, local authority trading standards officers can help you.

• Find your local Trading Standards office