Miles Shipside, Rightmove commercial director said: "This will be a tough test for HIP providers and estate agents processes, systems and resources as it represents a massive ramp up in the number of properties needing a HIP. It will expose any shortage of Energy Assessors too, especially if there are geographic holes in coverage compared to where properties are being marketed.
Rightmove advertises around 90% of properties put up for sale through Estate agents in England and Wales and its analysis shows 41% of properties fall into the three bedroom category. This equates to around 80,000 newly marketed three-bedroomed properties a month, all now requiring a HIP if marketed after 10 September. This is in addition to around 35,000 a month four-bedroom or more properties that have required a HIP to be commissioned if they were marketed from 1 August. The totals represent 66% of properties marketed that now require a HIP.
Analysis of the geographic spread of energy assessors shows there is sufficient coverage, with almost every region now offering over 200 accredited assessors, equating to between 14-40 properties per assessor each month.
However Shipside is not so confident, concluding:” Whilst the coverage looks adequate on paper, in practice it will not work efficiently at the outset. Some energy assessors will work exclusively for one estate agent so will not be available to cover another agent’s properties. There are also bound to be geographic ‘black holes’ where there are assessors nearby”.
