HIPs protect first-time buyers say housing professionals

Home owners are better placed to carry the cost of searches and surveys than first-time buyers, many of whom struggle to find a deposit, says the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).

Home Information Packs transfer these costs to the sellers, who are already on the housing ladder. This leaves first-time buyers more money to put towards a deposit or the other costs of setting up home. HIPs are also an important consumer protection measure for first time buyers, in particular, who need to be aware of the risks and complexities of buying a house.

The CIH, the body that represents housing professionals, argues that HIPs are an important tool to highlight defects, including the energy efficiency rating, and give homebuyers a clear guide to what they are purchasing.

Sarah Webb, CIH Deputy Chief Executive said: "We support any measures that make the costs and risks of home ownership more bearable. Apart from the up-front costs of surveys and searches that are difficult for first-time buyers to shoulder, there is a real need for homebuyers to know exactly what they are signing up to.

"The energy performance certificates that form part of a HIP are crucial to making sellers think more about the effective insulation and general up-keep of their property, which in turn will help meet climate change targets. If you were buying a fridge you would expect to know its energy rating, so you should with a house. We know that 3.5 million homes in the private sector fail the decent homes standard on the thermal comfort criterion, that's 20% of the housing stock, and if HIPs help to address this huge problem, then we support them."