Mentors

From 6 April 2009, all homes in England and Wales need a Home Information Pack (HIP) in place before being offered for sale on the property market. The HIP includes an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) containing advice on how to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills. Also included are documents of title, local and water authority searches and a property information questionnaire giving details of matters affecting the property. Where the property is leasehold, a copy of the lease is also included.


A private sale (e.g. between friends or family members), where no advertising of the property takes place, does not require a HIP.

It is possible for private individuals to prepare their own HIP but most people will prefer to leave this to a property expert upon whose skill and know-how they can rely to get the job done quickly and professionally.

Most estate agents now offer a HIPs service and some may try to tempt you into a combined HIPs and conveyancing package, but can you be sure you are getting the best value for money? The estate agent will commission your HIP from a national pack provider who will pay the agent a referral fee, the cost of which is added to your HIP. The pack provider still needs to make a profit and, in most cases, this means obtaining search results as cheaply as possible using search agents who carry out personal local searches. In our experience, personal searches can be unreliable and you only have to browse the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook Part 2 to see how many mortgage lenders won’t accept them unless they are backed by suitable insurance or, in some cases, won’t accept them at all. This could mean further searches having to be carried out during the conveyancing process, costing additional time and money.

Mentors are sympathetic to the needs of buyers and sellers alike. As property experts, we have the necessary skill and know-how to produce a reasonably priced HIP swiftly and with the degree of professionalism our clients have come to expect. We do not use search agents, but deal direct with local authorities, ensuring our local searches receive the official stamp acceptable to all mortgage lenders. We enjoy good liaison with local Home Inspectors suitably qualified to inspect your property and produce the EPC, an essential part of the Pack.