Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2008 | Page 22

life

PROPERTY

Will home
information
packs stand the
test of time?

A

s from the 14th
December the
Government resolved
that all properties will require
a HIP prior to being marketed
for sale having phased in over
the preceding months three
and four bedroom properties
only. I believe that the concept
of the Home Information
Pack will be a bench mark for
future conveyancing within
England and Wales, although I
do think that the present Pack
is no more than a template
as to what maybe considered
as a much more preferable
presentation in the future.
It is widely considered that
until a Home Inspectors
Report is embodied
within a HIP it will not
be considered as valuable
as in its present format.
Over a decade ago I expressed
a view in an article concerning
the general concept for
marketing properties for sale
that consideration should
be given to a seller being
required by law to produce
to his buyer a log book. This
log book could incorporate
warranties and guarantee
certificates and a current
surveyors report on condition
of the property. This need
not be a full survey but just a
condition report. This would
not only be valuable to a
buyer but assist a seller in the
marketing of the property.
The inclusion of an Energy
Performance Certificate at the
present time is no more than
satisfying the requirement of

22

Terence Willey

European law and I submit, in
most cases, will not influence
a buyer alone as to whether
or not he or she would
proceed with a purchase.
I consider that the market
for providing the HIPs
will continue to remain
competitive, as is now the case,
and will leave the consumer
client with options to decide
from whom and where they
should best obtain it.
As we move forward to an
age of electronic conveyancing,
currently being piloted by
the Land Registry, and to be
known as “e-conveyancing”,
the presentation, marketing
and fullest disclosure in
respect of the sale of a
property, will still remain,
in my view, a central issue in
the conveyancing process.
If you are considering
marketing your property for
sale and would like some
assistance with obtaining
a Home Information Pack
without any requirement for
the payment of fees up front
or payment of the Energy
Performance Certificate until
completion of the sale of your
property then please contact
Mark Willey – tel 01983
611888 at Malcolm Daniells
& Company (part of Terence
Willey & Company) Lawyers
and Commissioners for Oaths
specialising in Conveyancing.

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