HIPs will rock housing market as sellers rush to avoid packs

Home Information Packs (HIPs) are set to rock the UK housing market despite many consumers thinking they have been scrapped, according to Henry Pryor, founder of Primemove.com.

Primemove.com, the UK’s most comprehensive property portal, has surveyed visitors to its site and the results clearly demonstrate a worrying lack of knowledge. Of those polled, 76% said they had no or very little knowledge about HIPs with 40% incorrectly believing HIPs had been scrapped completely.

Henry Pryor comments: “Despite this lack of knowledge among consumers, when they realise a HIP will cost at least £300 there will be a blizzard of properties descending on the market before June 1st in order too avoid having a pack.”

The Primove.com survey also discovered that 82% of homemovers would disregard the Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) that will be a compulsory element of the HIP.

“A property’s energy rating will have no effect on today’s market where there is such competition for each property. A buyer will not be put off a property which has a higher energy rating if it meets all their other needs,” added Mr Pryor.

“It is clear that the majority of the UK public has no idea what is going on and what it is going to mean for the buying and selling process of houses in the UK. While the Government flounders over the final content of the HIP and delays the consumer marketing campaign, the consumer gets more confused. Event the official launch date of June 1st still seems to be up for debate. It’s high time for clarification.”