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Wednesday 10th March 2010 - One Third Of Estate Agents Provide Unsatisfactory HIPS

Press release by Trading Standards

"Trading Standards at Birmingham City Council, in conjunction with the Property Codes Compliance Board (PCCB), have undertaken the most comprehensive estate agent and Home Information Pack (HIP) enforcement exercise yet by any Trading Standards authority nationally .....more

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Thursday 10th February 2010 - Hip Hip Hooray, demise of the large Hip Companies

Following the liquidation of first Hipstar and then Mysalepack another of the large Hip companies is experiencing financial difficulties…………

Although it appears that pack provider Hip Hip Hooray has not yet gone into administration yesterday the administrator of its failed sister company said that its staff had been refused entry to the firms premises. Furthermore efforts to contact the firm by telephone throughout the day were unsuccessful
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Tuesday 1st September 2009 - Which magazine reports on HIPS

The September Edition of Which contains a report for consumers on HIPS and recommends that consumers should purchase Hips from specialist Hip supplier such as The Hips Centre………

This month's edition of the consumer interest magazine Which contains an informative section on Hips. The article explains the need for a HIP and lists the compulsory components. Mention is also made of the optional documents that can be placed in a Hip at the discretion of a Seller.
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Monday 24th August 2009 - PCCB statement on HIPS

THE PCCB recommends that consumers and Estate Agents check that their HIPs will carry the HIP Code logo………

The Property Codes Compliance Board (PCCB) has today published new advice to property professionals to ensure that industry due diligence procedures do not impose unnecessary costs to consumers.
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Thursday 04 June 2009 article by Catherine Baksi taken from The Law Society Gazette

Private search companies are threatening to get tough with councils who block access to property search information or fail to comply with the government's charging guidance.

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) said this week that it would take action against local authorities that stifle competition or charge excessively
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4th April 2009 - Search Price increases affect Hip prices

Under the new Hip regulations due to come into force on the 6th April personal search companies will no longer be able to use insurance as an alternative to including information in the Local Authority searches that they provide for Hips.
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28th March - New Regulations will come into force on the 6th April 2009

The new Home Information Pack Regulations will come into force on the 6th April despite opposition to the changes.
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25th february 2009 - Government confirms April changes to Hips will take place

Government has issued an official response to the anti-Home Information Pack Petition lodged by Estate Agent Trevor Kent.
 
The petition had asked for the current transitional first day marketing provisions to be allowed to continue, for the sake of the housing market permitting properties to be marketed immediately a Hip has been commissioned without waiting for the contents, and in particular the EPC, to be compiled.
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23rd January 2009 - Local Authority Search Update

Earlier this week the Government finally published the guidance to local authorities on implementing the new framework for charging for access to property search records
 

In December the Government announced that from April 6th of this year the temporary insurance provision for private searches in Home Information Packs will end.
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15th December 2008 CoPSO Welcome Private Search Exoneration

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO), the major trade association for the property search industry, has today welcomed the news from Birmingham City Council that it has completely failed to uncover any evidence that private search companies are using insurance to "short-circuit" the Home Information Pack system to save money.
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9th December 2008 Housing Minister announces measures to benefit consumers

Minister Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP announced on 8 December a new package of measures to improve and simplify the content of HIPs
 

Housing Minister Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP announced on 8 December a new package of measures to improve and simplify the content of HIPs and ensure consumers can see and use the information at the start of the home buying and selling process.
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29th October 2008 Property Regulator calls time on flawed HIPs

PCCB cancels Registration of Search and HIP Provider
 


The PCCB today cancelled the registration of Consearch as a subscriber to the Search and HIP Codes of Practice for failure to comply with PCCB's Registration Rules......more

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2nd October 2008 Property Regulator calls time on flawed HIPs

The regulatory body for Home Information Pack and search providers, the Property Codes Compliance Board (PCCB), today reacted swiftly in response to an investigation into HIPs by Birmingham Trading Standards, which saw five out of six being classed as "unsatisfactory". .....more

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Extension to the validity period of Energy Performance Certificates
9th September 2008


on Tuesday, 9 September the Government updated the Energy Performance of Buildings regulations for EPCs, responding to consumer and industry needs......more

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1st August 2008 Consultation over the inclusion of the Home Use Form and Leasehold Information in HIPs

On the 29th July the Government announced a consultation period ending on the 30th September to review the inclusion of the Home Use Form and also leasehold information in HIPs.
 



The Government is considering introducing a Property Information Questionnaire as a document in Home Information Packs rather than a Home Use Form. It is also reviewing the leasehold information requirement although that requirement is currently suspended. An extract from the Government consultation paper follows
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Update re Energy Performance Certificates
29th July 2008


From the 1st October 2008 all properties being sold will require an EPC irrespective of the HIP regulations. This includes residential properties already on the market that do not currently require a HIP and sales by private treaty for example between family members. Commercial property sales will also require an EPC. Landlords will also have to produce an EPC if they are entering into a new tenancy agreement. Guidance contained on the appropriate Government website is as follows -  .....more

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Upgrade to an Exchange Ready HIP
10th June 2008


Many Hip companies are only offering to supply Hips containing the bare minimum to comply with the current transitional Hip regulations. Whilst this keeps cost to a minimum at the same time the benefit of having a Hip to both Seller and Buyer is also minimalist as once a sale has been agreed time is still being lost obtaining optional documents that could have been included in the Hip from the very outset. -  .....more

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8th May 2008 Government announces the extension of the temporary first day marketing provisions until the 31st December 2008

Extract from a statement by Caroline Flint Minister of State on the 8th May 2008

I am today laying amendments to the Home Information Pack Regulations to extend the temporary first day marketing provision, and to extend the temporary provision requiring HIPs to include the "Lease" only and to "authorise" other leasehold documents, from 1 June to 31 December 2008. 
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New regulations coming into force for new homes

Wednesday 26th March 2008

The Housing Act 2004 (Commencement No.11) (England and Wales) Order 2008 was made on 13 March and comes into force on 6 April 2008. 
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Despite rumours to the contrary a new HIP is required for a property taken in part exchange

Wednesday 21st February 2008

Despite rumours to the contrary a new HIP is required for a property taken in part exchange. This is particularly relevant to builders/developers
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Government announces new Guidance designed to speed up access to Local Authority records for search organisations

Wednesday 23rd January 2008

What Are Property Searches?
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Full roll-out of HIPs announced

The Government today announced the roll-out of Home Information Packs (HIPs) to all properties marketed for sale in England and Wales from 14 December 2007, whatever their size.


Thursday 22nd November 2007

Extract from the Government Statement

GREEN RATINGS TO BENEFIT ALL HOME BUYERS
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Press Release by the DCLG

Green findings - Energy Performance Certificates and Home Information Packs


Monday 10th September 2007

Average four bedroom homes are getting an 'E' energy rating, according to a survey from the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs). .....more

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THE HIPS CENTRE IS READY TO GET MOVING FOLLOWING GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Friday 17th august 2007

Bolton based Home Information Packs provider The HIPs Centre, has welcomed the Government's announcement earlier today that Home Information Packs (HIPs) and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will be rolled out to include all properties with three bedrooms or more from 10th September 2007 .....more

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HIPs go live 1st August 2007 for houses with four bedrooms or more ....

Statement from DCLG
 
New support for homeowners to get green grants

1st August 2007

A new system to help homebuyers get green grants worth hundreds of pounds to lower their fuel bills and make their homes greener has been announced today, linked to the introduction of Home Information Packs and Energy Performance Certificates.
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House Of Lords Debate HIPS Future Once Again

18th July 2007

Tuesday 17 July saw the House of Lords debate the future of HIPs once again .....more

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ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES AND HOME INFORMATION PACKS

Summary of the Governments statements issued and the new revised Regulations to be laid before Parliament


11th June 2007

The DCLG published an open letter to prospective to DEAs and Home Inspectors
This was a letter confirming the DCLG's commitment to introducing HIPs on the 1st August and outlining some incentives for DEAs and His by way of assurance and comfort. .....more

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ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES AND HOME INFORMATION PACKS

22nd May 2007

The Government has today announced that the implementation of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) from 1 August instead of 1 June. The Government has also reached an agreement with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on their judicial review of Energy Performance Certificates.
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Communities and Local Government News Release - Minister pledges support for low energy rated homes

18 April 2007

Extract from a Communities and Local Government News Release
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) - A-G energy ratings for homes similar to consumer friendly fridge ratings - will be part of Home Information Packs (HIPs), which will be required for all homes being marketed from 1 June. .....more
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Department of Communities and Local Government

29th March 2007

Home Information Pack Regulations
The Home Information Pack Regulations 2007 were laid before Parliament this morning. This represents a major milestone in the HIP timetable and the culmination of a significant amount of discussion with stakeholders to fine tune the policy. .....more

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AHIPP states that there will be sufficient energy assessors

9th March 2007

The Association of Home Information Pack Providers says that its research has shown that there is not a shortage of energy assessors. .....more

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AHIPP responds to the Council Of Mortgage Lenders call to postpone HIPS

21st February 2007

The Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) rejects today's call by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) for the postponement of HIPs. Mike Ockenden, Director General of AHIPP, said: "Today is the deadline for responses to the Government's latest consultation on Home Information Packs (HIPs) and it has taken the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) nearly a month to come up with its negative reaction to the consultation document.
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Boost for energy performance certificates to help tackle climate change as part of 1st June HIPS package

25th January 2007

Extract from a Communities and Local Government News Release
A new consultation published today will boost efforts to tackle climate change and promote energy efficiency by proposing estate agents must include Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) with their property particulars for the first time. .....more

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