Insurance News Archive

'HIPs make moving process quicker'

Home Information Packs (Hips) are helping to speed up the moving process, an estate agent has claimed.

Introduced in August last year, Hips - paid for by the seller - aim to provide much of the legal information about the sale up-front.

According to Stephen Shipperley, executive chairman at Connells estate agents there is clear evidence to suggest Hips are actually helping buyers and sellers move more quickly by identifying any potential issues early.

"Local authority searches can sometimes take weeks, so by having the information early means the conveyancing process can begin straightaway. More importantly, if the buyer drops out the next buyer doesn't have to start the process all over again, which can save months," he explained.

Meanwhile the Council for the National Land Information Service has produced a guide to help consumers understand property searches and home information pack requirements.

Entitled Property Searches – Your Guide to the Facts, the guide offers practical advice on how to choose a search provider and an explanation of the latest home information pack requirements and can be downloaded from www.c-nlis.org.uk.

28 Feb 2008