FAQ's
A Home Information Pack is a collection of documents that, with the exception of the newly-introduced EPC (see below), were formerly paid for by purchasers. Now the vendor is responsible for pre-preparing these searches, the home-buying process will become quicker, with less time wasted through sales falling through, given that key information is available from the start.
- Index
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Sale Statement
- Title register and plan
- Local Authority search
- Drainage and water search
- Leasehold / commonhold information as applicable
Additional Authorised content:
- Home Condition Report (HCR)
- Warrantees and guarantees
- Additional searches, e.g. coal mining report, environmental report
- Home Use and Home Contents forms
What is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
New EU legislation dictates that homes offered for sale must have provided for them a certificate indicating the dwelling’s current energy efficiency, and also it’s potential efficiency should a number of recommended modifications be implemented.
EPC’s can only be issued by accredited DEA’s (Domestic Energy Assessor), who will visit the property to perform the assessment. We are able to offer these to you within 4 days of your order, allowing the full and proper marketing of the property.
All those with three or more bedrooms brought to the market after the 10th September, and 1 & 2 bedroom properties new to the market after 14th December.
There are exceptions, however:
- The property was introduced to the market before 10th September (three bedrooms), or before the 1st August for properties with four or more bedrooms
- Seasonal accommodation
- Mixed use premises; e.g. shop with flats above
- Portfolios of properties
- Unsafe properties, or those scheduled for demolition
- Properties sold with sitting tenants
Until the 1st January it will suffice to prove that you have requested the HIP for the property to be marketable. As of 1st january 2008, you must be in possession of the Home Information Pack prior to placing the property on the market. With the current legislation in mind, you will be issued with a receipt as soon as your request is sent.
Our order process could not be quicker. Trial runs indicated the possibility of receiving the receipt within 2 minutes of arriving at the site.
The packs themselves do take somewhat longer: with most packs taking 2-7 working days. However, as you may well know, information must be requested from the council and they do not always work to our timetable. Sufficed to say, you will receive the completed report as soon as is physically possible. When you call for a quote, we will also be able to provide guidance as to current turnaround times. Most importantly we will make it possible for marketing to start within 2-3 days of your instructing us.
We provide the most cost effective and competitive help possible.
It is important to remember that The Leasehold HIP is more costly than the Freehold variant, and that including Additional Authorised Content also carries with it extra cost. Certain freeholders and management companies also charge for the release of information relating to leasehold properties within the building, and so the total cost of a leasehold HIP will be dictated by these costs.
Call customer services for a free quote, a market overview, or just to find out more about the ways we can look after you:
08456 432 100
Definitions
This is someone legally authorised by the owner of the property to make decisions on their behalf. This may be due to the registered owner having passed away, living abroad, or not being of sound mind to liaise with estate agents and solicitors.
The basic pack offered through ORDERHIPS.COM, which is offered at the most competitive price, and satisfies the legal criteria of Home Information Pack guidelines.
Designed to inform the buyer of potential repair liabilities for a local parish. The recent case of Aston Cantlow v Wallbank indicates the worthiness of this information.
Provides information relating to the use of the geographical area of the property for coal mining, both historical and planned.
The official format of Drainage & Water searches, providing information relating to a given property’s connection to water and sewage mains. This information is obviously important as not being connected to these facilities would negatively affect the property’s value.
Provides information realting to contaminated land and subsidence in the area.
EPC - Energy Performance Certificate
A certificate documenting the energy efficiency of a dwelling, collated into a standard format, and provided with suggestions of not only what can be done to improve this efficiency, but also indications of the potential efficiency of the property, and the cost saved in the process.
First point of marketing:the date the property is first introduced to the market.
Consists of: The Bare Essentials HIP, and a tree planted on your behalf to compensate not only the spurious waste of paper associated not only with the actual printing of the HIP (at a £5 sucharge over the price of the Green Essentials HIP), but also the running of a legal service. Moreover, planting trees throughout London also helps reduce the amount of Carbon dioxide in the air, and keeps our capital city looking healthy. Show your support and go for the Green Essentials HIP, in proud support of Trees for Cities.
The universal term used for the approved collection of documents.
Provides information about the physical condition of the property.
This will indicate the vendor's intentions as to what furnishings and appliances will be included in the sale price.
Provides information regarding common land, mains services, boundaries, access, insurance, rent and service charges.
The first document in the Home Information Pack. It details the certificate dates of all the documents included in the HIP.
Provides the same details as those contained within a Personal Search, but is ordered and collected through the Council themselves. It carries with it a substantial cost penalty, but has benefit insofar it will satisfy the 10% of mortgage lenders who do not routinely accept personal searches.
Is a document collated by an approved and regulated firm charged with personally visiting Local Authorities to collect information regarding a property within that council. It will detail queries relating to building regulations, planning permissions, Clean Air Acts, Highway information and so forth.
Provides information of planning applications within 200m of the property, and a number of other useful details such as: local schools, crime statistics, and local surgeries.
Provides a brief overview of the type of property offered for sale, and includes confirmation of the legal owners of the property.
Indicates that there will be persons residing in the property even after it has legally changed hands. Landlords may decide to purchase a property with sitting tenants as it ensures the property is already let.
Describes the type of ownership one holds over a property. This could be freehold, leasehold, or commonhold. Share of freehold means you have not only a lease for the property, but also own a proportion of the building as well.
Copy of the Land Registry documents that not only identify the property, but confirm the current owners as per their records.
Indicates that ownership of a dwelling will exchange hands with no one residing in the property on the date of completion.
