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Home Information Pack
The Home Information Pack contains important information that buyers and sellers need to know. Home Information Packs including Energy Performance Certificates have been implemented on a phased basis which started on 1 August 2007.
For sellers, providing a pack upfront should reduce the likelihood of any nasty surprises in the selling process that could delay the sale, 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.
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Compulsory items
The following compulsory documents must be included in a Home Information Pack.
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Home Information Pack Index
The compulsory documents include a Home Information Pack Index, listing the documents contained in the Pack.
The Index provides a checklist for sellers, buyers, estate agents and enforcement authorities. Where a document that must be included in the Pack is unavailable, the Index must say so, give the reason it is missing, and indicate what steps are being taken to obtain it. Where documents are added to or removed from the Pack at a later stage, the Index should be revised accordingly.
Sample Home Information Pack
Energy Performance Certificate
Energy Performance Certificates tell you 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.
The Certificate also tells you, 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. The Certificate includes recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment.
A copy of the format being trialed is available on our Publications page.
Most sellers of newly built homes will have to provide a predicted assessment of the energy efficiency of the property, but a full Energy Performance Certificate should be provided to the buyer when the home is completed. See here for details of specific exemptions.
See Sample HIP above for example or here for more information
Sale Statement
The sale statement should provide some basic information about the property, including:
* The address of the property being sold
* Whether the property is freehold, leasehold or commonhold
* Whether the property is registered or unregistered
* Whether or not the property is being sold with vacant possession
Sample Sale Statement
Standard searches
The Home Information Pack must include:
* The local land charges register relating to the property being sold. Once a search is completed, which can be carried out by a personal search company or a local authority, you will receive an official search certificate.
* Other records held by the local authority on matters of interest to buyers, such as planning decisions and road building proposals. These are referred to as local enquiries in the Home Information Pack regulations. A local authority or a personal search company can be used.
* The provision of drainage and water services to the property. The local water company or a personal search company can be used (however, the search must comply with the HIP Regulations).
The procedural guidance to the Home Information Pack Regulations contains more information about what should be included in the search reports. For detailed advice dealing with local enquiries, drainage and water, and general provisions applying to all search reports and those who provide them (e.g. local authorities, water companies and personal search companies), see Communities and Local Government.
Evidence of Title
These documents prove that the seller owns the property and therefore has the right to sell it. Where the property being sold is registered, certain documents that are available on request from the Land Registry must be included in the Pack. These provide an up-to-date official record of who owns the land, and consist of:
* Official copies of the individual register (made up of a property register, proprietorship register and, typically, a charges register)
* An official copy of the title plan
In the case of the sale of a commonhold interest, official copies of the register and title plan should be produced for both the unit and common parts. The Land Registry has details of additional requirements for sales of commonhold properties.
For sales of unregistered land, the Pack must include copies of a certificate of an official search of the index map (obtained from the Land Registry), and those documents that the seller intends to rely on to provide evidence of title to the property, and thus the right to sell it. More detailed advice on the sort of evidence that is usually considered acceptable is in the procedural guidance to the Home Information Pack Regulations.
Leasehold and commonhold properties
Most of the documents that must be included in the Home Information Pack are applicable to all transactions, but some are needed only for leasehold and commonhold sales.
The required leasehold documents are:
* A copy of the lease
* Any regulations or rules that apply to the property that aren't mentioned in the lease and any proposed amendments to same
* Statements or summaries of service charges covering the previous 36 months
* Where appropriate, the most recent requests for payment of service charges, ground rent, insurance against damage for the building in which the property is situated, and insurance in respect of personal injury caused by or within the building during the 12-month period before marketing began
* The name and address of the current or proposed lessor, and details of any managing agent that has been appointed or proposed by the lessor to manage the property
* A summary of any works being undertaken or proposed that will affect the property or the building in which it's situated.
The required commonhold documents are:
An official copy of the individual register and title plan for the common parts. This is in addition to official copies for the unit (see our section on Evidence of title).
An official copy of the commonhold community statement. You can download this document from Land Registry.
Where they are reasonably obtainable, or sellers can reasonably be expected to be aware of them, the following documents and information are also required:
* Copies of any regulations or rules not described in the commonhold community statement and any amendments proposed to those regulations or to the commonhold community statement
* Copies of any requests for payments made in the previous 12 months in respect of commonhold assessment, reserve fund levy and insurance (if not covered by a request for commonhold assessment)
* The name and address of any managing agent or other person appointed or proposed to be appointed by the commonhold association to manage the commonhold
* A summary of current or proposed works affecting the commonhold.