For sellers, providing a pack upfront should reduce the likelihood of any delays in the selling process, as buyers will be able to make more informed decisions about purchasing their home.
For buyers, the pack provides essential information about properties they are considering buying, free of charge.
Compulsory Documents:
- Home Information Pack Index (Where a document is unavailable, the index must state the reason for this & steps being taken to obtain it)
- Energy Performance Certificate (See our section on EPC’s for further info)
- Sale Statement (Providing basic information such as address, if the property is freehold/leasehold/commonhold, registered/unregistered etc)
- Standard Searches (The land charges register, local enquiries and drainage and water searches to the property)
- Evidence of title (Official copies of the individual register and title plan)
For leasehold and commonhold there are additional documents that are required.
Optional Documents include:- Home Condition Report
- Legal Summary
- Home Use/Contents Form
A hard copy of the completed HIP is held by the agent, which the vendor is free to view and a digital copy is available for prospective buyers.
Energy Performance Certificate
An Energy Performance Certificate identifies how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes - which should have the lowest fuel bills - are in band A.
To produce the certificate a qualified DEA (Domestic Energy Assessor) will first carry out a survey of the property. This takes approximately 1 hour and looks at things such as insulation levels and the heating system. This information is then input into RdSAP software to produce the rating and corresponding certificate
The Certificate also explains, 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 (CO2) emissions. The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings.
Also included are recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment. See an example EPC by clicking on this link.
