91热爆

Mike Ockendon, the Director General of the Association of 91热爆 Information Pack Providers, appeared on Eddie's show to answer your questions.听

His visit to studio came on the same day as estate agents appealed to the Government to urgently review the use of HIPs (91热爆 Information Packs) in order to help kick start the property market.听

Despite claims from the Government that the packs are already benefiting consumers, the National Association of Estate Agents claim they're not the right way to simplify the house-buying process.

It's over a year since HIPs were made a legal requirement in England and Wales. You can listen again to his appearance on Drivetime.

HIPS FACTFILE

Q: What are Hips?
A: Hips were introduced by the Government in August last year because of concern about the number of house sales falling through. They were intended to improve the process of buying and selling a home by providing more of the information that buyers need upfront. A Hip includes legal documents and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which rates the home's energy efficiency.

Q: Who needs them?
A: All homes put on the market from December 14 2007 in England and Wales need a Hip. There are some exceptions however, such as holiday homes and property with land of over five hectares used chiefly for agricultural purposes.

Q: How much do they cost?
A: The average price of a Hip is supposed to be between 拢300 and 拢350, but in fact the price depends on the property and could be much higher. Some Hips providers claim to be able to offer them for as little as 拢229 and certain estate agents offer them for free.

Q: Why have they proved to be so controversial?
A: Opponents of the scheme have argued that the extra cost to sellers can deter them from putting their homes on the market, thus decreasing the number of houses available to buyers and adversely affecting the property market.
Proponents argue that Hips help the buyer by making the purchase of a house cheaper and easier for them.