Hare Hill Estates have welcomed the scrapping of Home Information Packs
Estate agents have welcomed the news that controversial home information packs (Hips) are being scrapped with immediate effect.
The move means homeowners will no longer need to spend money providing one of the packs before they can put their property up for sale.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles laid an order before Parliament suspending Hips, pending primary legislation for a permanent abolition.
But sellers will still be required to get an energy performance certificate, showing how energy efficient a property is, within 28 days of putting their home on the market.
The news was welcomed by the property industry, which has long called for an end to the packs, saying they failed to help home buyers and discouraged people from putting their property on the market.
Hare Hill Estates can organise your EPC on request.
Certificates (EPCs) give information on how to make your home more energy efficient and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. All homes bought, sold or rented require an EPC. Find out what EPCs look like and what they contain.
Energy Performance Certificates – what they tell you
EPCs contain:
- Information on your home's energy use and carbon dioxide emissions
- Recommendation report with suggestions to reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions
Energy use and carbon dioxide emissions
EPCs carry ratings that compare the current energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions with potential figures that your home could achieve. Potential figures are calculated by estimating what the energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions would be if energy saving measures were put in place.
The rating measures the energy and carbon emission efficiency of your home using a grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’. An ‘A’ rating is the most efficient, while ‘G’ is the least efficient. The average efficiency grade to date is 'D'. All homes are measured using the same calculations, so you can compare the energy efficiency of different properties.