The Lords voted 186 to 160 in favour of scrapping the scheme, with Baroness Hanham, who introduced the motion, claiming: “Seldom can a government initiative have gone so spectacularly wrong. We will gladly support the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates as a separate and freshly considered initiative, but HIPs must go.”
However, Mike Ockenden, director-general of AHIPP, insisted the vote was not a fatal blow for HIPs.
“While yesterday’s vote in the Lords was not fatal and will not hinder the government’s resolve to introduce HIPs as planned, it is disappointing that the Tories have once again made a political football out of HIPs. Clearly, Tory politicising is not going to get in the way of delivering this vital reform to the benefit of consumers and the environment.”
Meanwhile, the government classification of a four-bedroom house, prior to the implementation of HIPs, has been derided by the industry.
Darren Pescod, managing director of The Mortgage Broker Ltd, said: “Without a doubt, the public won’t market their property as having four bedrooms. Who can blame them either as for the sake of changing a few words, you can save yourself a few hundred pounds.”
Stephen Foden, CEO of Spring Move, added: “This has further clouded the issue. The latest move in the estate agency market has been to describe properties with the number of rooms on each floor, rather than the number of bedrooms. It’s another nail in the HIPs coffin.”
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