Tories try to get HIPs voted out

The Conservative Party is reportedly trying to force a vote in the Commons to try and oust the controversial Home Information Packs that were brought in by the Labour government last year.

Whilst government officials have tried to claim that the packs are invaluable to home sellers and purchasers to make the process smoother and more effective, estate agents and even many consumers have said that they are costly, ineffective, and a waste of time.

According to recent date, more than 50% of HIPs are costing over the target price of £350, with many coming in at £500 or more. These packs are supposed to be produced within four or five working days, but only one in eight is being produced within this timescale.

Over 50% are taking around twelve days to produce whilst just over 30% are taking in excess of fifteen days. These HIPs are now a legal requirement on all residential properties being marketed for sale in England and Wales.

A spokesman for the Tory Party said: ‘Everyone involved, be it experts or consumers, recognises that HIPs have failed in every aspect.’

However, an official from the Communities and Local Government Department said: ‘The average cost of a HIP is between £300 and £350 which, apart from the energy performance certificate, is already part of the buying and selling process. The most authoritative analysis of HIPs found 72% of consumers were satisfied with them.’

A recent survey showed that only one in six potential buyers was getting to see the HIP before putting in an offer.

In response to this data the shadow housing minister said: ‘These results reveal what we and the industry have known all along, Hips are a complete waste of time. It is proving to be a very costly and bureaucratic joke. The Hip hasn’t made the process quicker or more certain, it has simply made it more expensive and choked in paperwork. It is the time this Government scrapped Hips once and for all.’