Maidenhead & Windsor

Estate agents in the Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough are well prepared to cope with the new Home Information Packs (HIPs), required for the sale of properties with four bedrooms or more from today (August 1).

That’s the message from the Windsor and Maidenhead council’s trading standards service, which is responsible for ensuring that sellers (usually estate agents) comply with the new law – and take action if they don’t.

Steve Johnson, trading standards manager, said: “The new law changes the way in which property is sold and there is scope for some initial confusion. However, we are confident that all of our local estate agents are geared up to cope with the new system and we don’t envisage any major problems”.

HIPs must contain a number of documents, including an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which has information about the construction of the house and fittings such as heating systems, double glazing and insulation.

Until December 31 this year, property sellers – or more usually their estate agent – must have commissioned a HIP by the time the property goes on the market, and from January 1 2008 onwards the HIP, including the EPC, must be available from the first day the property is placed on the market.

The following documents must be included in all HIPs:

* Home Information Pack Index
* Energy Performance Certificate
* A Sale statement, which includes basic information about the property
* Standard searches, such as details from the local land charges register
* Evidence of Title
* Where appropriate, additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales.

Documents, such as a Home Condition Report, an environmental or flood risk search and other information that would be of interest to a potential buyer may also be included.

The Windsor and Maidenhead trading standards service will be responsible for ensuring that sellers (normally the estate agents) comply with the new law and will have a range of sanctions for non-compliance including issuing advice, warnings and £200 penalty charge notices.

Also from 1 August 2007 estate agents marketing homes with HIPs must be members of an independent redress scheme, operated by the Ombudsman for Estate Agents and The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Further details on the new legislation can be found at: www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk
The Ombudsman of Estate Agents can be contacted on 01722 424994 and more information is available at www.oea.co.uk/hip.htm

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors can be contacted at contactrics@rics.org or by calling 0870 333 1600.

For trading standards information call 01628 683800.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead