Ruth Kelly has offered fresh reassurance for home buyers and sellers that the Government remains committed to the introduction of Home Information Packs (HIPs) and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), starting with four bedroom homes from 1st August.
Mike Ockenden, Director General, AHIPP said: “Ruth Kelly has today provided much needed clarity for consumers, the HIP industry and energy assessors and she has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the future of HIPs. Industry now has a structured implementation plan that offers HIP providers and energy assessors an opportunity to plan more confidently for the future.
“We now call upon all industries that touch the home buying and selling process to get behind the implementation of HIPs, in order to deliver the benefits to home sellers and buyers.
“Further, by delivering HIPs as early as possible the environmental benefits of putting EPCs in the hands of buyers before they make an offer will be realised sooner rather than later. With 27% of carbon emissions coming from our homes it is vitally important that energy efficiency measures are introduced as soon as possible.
“AHIPP and its members expressed great disappointment at Ruth Kelly’s announcement on the 22nd May but are now able to once again commit to delivering this much needed reform to take the stress out of home buying and selling.”
Karen Babington, sales and marketing drector at Easier2move said:
"The recent announcement from the DCLG is a true confirmation of the Government’s undertaking to make Home Information Packs a reality. The phased ‘roll out’ detailed in this document appears to be a fair and measured approach to the implementation of packs.
"However, while we agree that it is important to have the right personnel in place across the country before a true roll-out of HIPs can take place, we are disappointed that no firmer dates mentioned. Admittedly HIPs have become somewhat of a movable feast recently but the lack of firm timings for the introduction of these packs will continue to affect the markets confidence in their ultimate introduction. This will - in turn - reduce the amount of investment from interested companies and thus set the process back even further.
"We call on the Government to rectify this state of uncertainty as soon as possible and allow companies – such as ourselves – to get on with the business of providing these packs to consumers."
