Do You Need A Home Information Pack?
The Home Information Pack has become a legal necessity for most seller’s of residential property in England and Wales. Sellers in the rest of the UK are not required to offer the Home Information Pack and there are certain exemptions that may mean you do not require a HIP before you can market your property. We do advise that you check with your solicitor or conveyancer before you begin the process to accurately determine whether or not you require a Home Information Pack.
Non-residential property owners are not required to have a HIP for their property. Similarly, mixed sale properties (for example a commercial outlet that includes a flat as part of the property) are also exempt, as are seasonal homes or holiday properties. Sellers of dual use properties where the main use is as a commercial property may be exempt.
If you intend to sell a property and the existing tenants will remain in the house upon sale, then you may not require a Home Information Pack. Sellers with a large portfolio of properties are also often exempt from HIP responsibilities.
The final category of HIP exempt sales is unsafe properties, or those that are marketed for redevelopment or demolition purposes.
The Home Information Pack is a necessity for the majority of sellers in England and Wales. While some exemptions do exist, if you are legally required to have a Home Information Pack then it should be in place from the very first day you start to market your property.