Hip

[temi]

I have not bought or sold a property since HIP was introduced. I remember when it was still being discussed, credit crunch was not with us then.

Have you bought or sold a house recently, was HIP a blessing or a hindrance?

[Tony]

They are great for first time buyers especially as is reduces the costs for them as the information is provided by the seller.

Tony

[red]

The debate with HIPs continues. NAEA and RICS consistently oppose HIPs though have recently inadvertently accepted some aspects are good which came as a suprise.

Alot of the information is 'legal' documentation which means very little to the consumer though is valued in progressing a house sale. There is plans to add a questionnaire to the HIP which will provide practical reading which will be of interest to the home buyer.

HIPs are not perfect though you will see them change over time to become the 'finished' article. The concept is sound in my opinion and will evolve as most things do.

[Tony]

HIPs are a good idea but my feeling is that the Home Condition Report should not be optional. This is unlikely to change and I think the contents of the HIP are going to decrease further. The Energy Peformance Certificate is required under EU legislation and will have to stay. It will be interesting to see how this pans out...

[red]

Yes there does not seem like the HCR will return, even though there are so many assessors hoping and wishing it does.

The future of the HIP will be interesting for sure. If the conservatives win they have said they will scrap though my money is on them renaming, maybe a PIP property infromation pack

[jennyhicks]

I have been on so many forums conplaining about HIPs but I just can't contain myself and I am going to have to slate them again. I had one done last October. It cost £300 and I got a stupid booklet saying that it costs over £1000 a year to heat the house, which didn't include hot water! Then that lighting bills would amount to £300 per year and electricity an equally as ridiculous figure. I was so worried that it may effect the sale of my house so I photocopied my utility bills for the viewers to see. The HIPs assessor has no clue how much it costs to heat our house etc. Surely showing potential buyers the actual bills would make far more sense. Arghh!!!

[Tony]

I wonder what assumptions they make when calculating the bill and are these clearly stated. A friend of mine breaks into a cold sweat if you even mention turning on the heating and others I know have the house like a sauna the whole time. What is normal use? Is there such a thing?

Tony

[jennyhicks]

No, there were no calculations on the report, just the figures they had made up. I rang the company that carried out the HIP and all they said was it is worked out on a computer and that it couldn't be changed.

They don't ask at all about how much you use the heating etc so your friend who has the house like a sauna could have the same costs outcome as the cold sweat guy according to them. Ridiculous. I think they work it out on the type of windows, insulation and number of people in the house.

[GlasgowGirl]

That does seem ridiculous. One of the reasons I'm keeping my house on the market despite the economic conditions is that if I put it back on after 1 December, I'll have to pay for a HIP - I suspect quite a few folk are doing the same.

[jennyhicks]

Has your property been on the market since before September 2007 then or is it because the government has suspended them for a while?