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Housing Minister announces measures to benefit consumers
 Housing Minister Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP announced on 8 December a new package of measures to improve and simplify the content of HIPs and ensure consumers can see and use the information at the start of the home buying and selling process.
Measures include:introduction of a
Property Information Questionnaire providing basic, useful information about a property including a leasehold summary, within HIPs for all properties marketed for sale from 6 April 2009 from 1 January 2009 making permanent the current arrangement whereby a copy of the Lease is the only additional requirement in the HIP for leasehold property sales the removal of temporary first day marketing from 6 April 2009 which means a basic HIP must be in place before a property is marketed - providing certainty to consumers that a HIP will be available. This will not prevent agents advising clients about properties they expect to be coming onto the market ending the use of insurance in personal searches from 6 April 2009 so that consumers receive a better quality product to address the issue of buyers being advised to undertake a 'second search' as a consequence inviting Ted Beardsall, former Deputy Chief Executive of the Land Registry, to convene a working group to consider how property searches might be made simpler and more easy to use for consumers and establishing a working group to explore options for making sure that consumers have appropriate information on property condition, building on work by the Stakeholder Panel to develop market-led models that can be delivered by existing practitioners, including Home Inspectors.
What the Minister said
"Home Information Packs are potentially a vital aid to consumers who are seeking to purchase a home, and I am firmly committed to ensuring they work as well as possible. That is why the changes made today will make sure consumers are better protected, better informed and better assisted when buying a home.
- It is essential that all buyers are able to see the HIP as early as possible to ensure they are benefiting and sellers are getting the pack they are paying for".
More
PIQ (New homes)
PIQ (Other homes)
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