Home Information Packs

Since 14th December 2007 most residential properties, no matter what size, must have a Home Information Pack before the property is marketed for sale.

Despite much hype in the press and elsewhere, HIP’s have not changed substantive property law – only the procedure we follow.

Usually either your Estate Agent or your Solicitor arranges the HIP through a separate HIP provider who charges a significant fee for the service.

In reality a HIP actually contains less searches and title documents than Solicitors obtained for a purchaser prior to the introduction of HIPs. This is why this firm makes no charge for compiling a HIP pack when we also act in the conveyance of your property. It is part of our normal conveyancing service. We simply pass on to you the fees we have to pay to others for disbursements such as the Local Authority for searches, the Land Registry for title documents and the Energy Performance Assessor for an energy performance certificate.

Why choose Williams Thompson to prepare your HIP

We have a long established residential property department providing a personal service. We prepare all HIPs ourselves. There is no “middleman” in the process. We believe that this provides a better service.

Your HIP is prepared within your normal conveyancing fee. There is no extra charge.
Your HIP will usually be commissioned within one day of your request so that your property is marketed without any delay.
We can deliver your HIP to you and to your Estate Agent either electronically or in paper format.
We work in association with Christchurch Home Inspectors who will produce your Energy Performance Certificate, usually within 48 hours. They can arrange an alternative inspector should the need arise, for example, your property is out of area.
If you have any queries at all about the HIP, the Energy Certificate, or the process generally you have direct access either to ourselves and to Christchurch Home Inspectors
Unlike most national suppliers, all Local Searches are submitted by ourselves to the Local Authority and the responses are supplied direct by the Local Authority (not by a third party) which means that it is warranted by the Local Authority and gives maximum confidence in the accuracy of the information given.

HIP Preparation if we also act in the Conveyance of your Property

Clearly, we would like to act in the conveyance of your property as well as the preparation of your HIP. This brings the whole transaction under one roof which means we can offer an even more efficient cost-effective service to the highest standards.

Having prepared your HIP we will have information about your property which will assist in the early preparation of documents which will be required in the sale of your property.

We will have sufficient information to issue a contract with no delay as soon as you have a Buyer
We will deduct the cost of the HIP preparation from your conveyancing charge so that the HIP is prepared at no cost.
At no additional charge we will e mail the completed HIP to your estate agent and to yourself and, upon request, let each of you have a paper copy. A HIP pack is a substantial document. There is no charge for further electronic copies but if further paper copies are required, then we make a charge of £20 plus VAT for each copy requested.

HIP Only service

If you decide that you require us only to prepare the HIP pack, then we will retain the charge incurred for the preparation of the pack. We will e mail the pack to your estate agent (and to you if requested) at no extra charge, but if further copies are required, whether electronic or paper, then we make a charge of £20 plus VAT for each copy.

What to do if you are thinking of selling your property

Please speak to us at an early stage. Ideally before you visit an Estate Agent to sell your property. This will ensure there is no delay in your property being placed on the market. We will discuss with you your requirements, let you know the HIP cost, and explain the next steps which you should take.

Usually, this will be to arrange for Robin Martin from Christchurch Home Inspectors to call to see you at a time convenient to you. (If your property is out of area he will arrange for an alternative inspector to call). He will

confirm to you the cost of the HIP preparation
undertake a home energy assessment for inclusion in your HIP Pack.
if your property is leasehold, and you have a copy of your lease, borrow this from you for delivery to us. This saves a Land Registry fee of £20 or a delay (and often a significant fee to your building society) whilst we obtain your title deeds.
Obtain from you a cheque payable to Williams Thompson so that we can pay the Water Company, the Local Authority, the Land Registry and the Energy Assessor. It will also include a fee payable to Williams Thompson for the HIP preparation. This fee is refundable if we also convey your property.

The Cost

This varies from area to area because of variations in Local and Water Authority search fees and because (if we also act in the conveyance of your property) our HIP compliation fee is deducted from your conveyancing fee so that your HIP pack is, effectively, compiled free of charge.

The cost of a HIP in the local area is as follows:

	HIP with Conveyancing £	HIP Only £
Christchurch	280.79	245.54
New Forest	285.79	254.54
Poole	298.79	263.54
East Dorset	306.79	271.54
Purbeck	311.79	276.54
Bournemouth	314.79	279.54

In New Forest add £4.87 if your Water Authority is Southern Water.

For leasehold properties add £20 unless Robin Martin can collect a copy of your lease when he visits.

We can quote for all other local authority areas. They are unlikely to be out of the range of local prices listed.

How to Contact Us

You can email us or call us directly on 01202 484242. Ask for Stephen Bowden or Alastair Hoare.

Links

For further information, visit Christchurch Energy Services/Christchurch Home Inspections