HIP - Home Information Pack
Home Information Packs are now required as part of the documentation with the sale of all properties.
KBL can provide a basic HIP from £299 + vat. The pack will include: land registry official copies & plan, local search, drainage search & Energy Performance Certificate.
The HIP is aimed at giving a prospective buyer of property details on a range of issues affecting that property; such information that would usually only be provided after the sale had been negotiated. The documents required in a HIP will state whether the property is freehold or leasehold. If the property is leasehold there will be a variety of other documents giving details of the name and address of the lessor/landlord and any managing agents employed to manage the property on the lessors/landlords behalf, together with details of any ground rent or service charges affecting the property. Other required documents will state whether the title to the property is registered at the Land Registry or whether the title is unregistered. The HIP is also required to contain documents relating to any commonhold properties should this be applicable.
As well as information relating to the ownership of a particular property, the HIP will also include search enquiry reports:
- Local Land Charges Register
- Local Authority
- Drainage & Water
A search of the local Land Charges Register will reveal any planning decisions, compulsory purchase orders, tree preservation orders or any financial charges affecting the property.
The Local Authority search will contain information regarding planning permissions and consents and building regulation approvals or notices of non compliance with building regulations affecting the property; any planning designations and proposals affecting land in the locality of the property. Information as to any nearby road or railway schemes will also be noted as well as details of whether the property is situated in an area subject to a conservation order or is affected by contaminated land or radon gas.
Drainage and water search enquiries will reveal the location of the public sewers within the boundaries and the immediate vicinity of the property; state whether the water and drainage from the property drain into a public sewer; the location of the public water mains and whether the property is connected to the public mains and details of any water and sewerage charges.
The HIP will also contain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The EPC will state how energy efficient the property is. This takes into account all factors which have a bearing on the property’s efficiency rating such as:
- Cavity wall
- Floor & roof insulation
- The type of windows
- Fuel costs for lighting and heating
The higher the rating the more energy efficient the property is and the lower the fuel costs will be.
An environmental impact rating will also be given which measures the property’s impact on the environment in respect of carbon dioxide emissions; again the higher the rating the less impact on the environment. The EPC will further contain a summary of recommended measures that can be implemented in order to improve the property’s performance ratings and details of the likely costs of any such measures.
