Home Information Packs, the Law

The law plays a big part in the home information pack.

The use of an HIP is now mandatory , you can not sell a house without one. The pack is a fundamental part of the house buying and selling process.

One of the main players in the home information pack components board was the law society. The components board was formed to help the government to produce the finished product.

What if I can't find all the information?

It may be that all the information required by the home inspector cannot be gathered in reasonable time. The ruling here is that if, after the best efforts, documentation is still incomplete after 2 weeks, then marketing should be allowed to proceed and the missing information can be added to the pack later.

The act of parliament

Section 164(5) of the housing act 2004 requires that the secretary of state is satisfied that the persons eligible for carrying out home information surveys are competent.

The criteria for this is;

(a) for ensuring that members of the scheme are fit and proper persons who are qualified (by their education, training and experience) to produce home condition reports;

(b) for ensuring that members of the scheme have in force suitable indemnity insurance;

(c) for facilitating the resolution of complaints against members of the scheme;

(d) for requiring home condition reports made by members of the scheme to be entered on the register mentioned in section 165 of the Act;

(e) for keeping a public register of the members of the scheme;

(f) for such other purposes as may be specified in the regulations.