The firm, who recently negotiated a successful management buy-out from Aviva, have suggested that in return for contributing towards the cost of the report lenders could include a pre-approved mortgage offer in the pack.
The packs are expected to cost around £600 and could have to be replaced every six months.
Paul Sparks, technical director at e.surv, explained: “There is still a lot of debate about who exactly will front the costs but this is a way of lenders helping out and at the same time gaining value.”
He added: “We have already been approached by some lenders though it is still very early days.”
The Home Condition Report section of HIPs is due to be launched on a voluntary basis from the middle of next year. HIPs are due to implemented in January 2007 when all vendors will have to provide one by law.
HBOS spokesman Alex Barnett said that at the moment nobody really knew who would end up paying for the packs.
“There are still a lot of unanswered questions about this, not least whether there will be enough inspectors to carry out the work,” he said.
Julian Wells, head of marketing at Mortgages plc, said that ultimately it would be the consumer who would pay.
He said: “It is interesting that whenever there is an additional cost to the home-buying process, it is always the lender that everyone comes running to first. Margins are often tight enough as it is.”
· e.surv’s estate agency Your Move has revealed that it is seeking to acquire other firms of regional or national size.
