HIPS are history but EPC's are not

The NLA - National Landlords Asoociation

has sent out an email entitled

"HIPS are history but Energy Performance Certificates stay"

The Government has scrapped Home Information Packs (HIPs) in the hope of kick starting the housing market in England and Wales*.

The requirement to provide a HIP when selling a home was suspended on 21 May 2010 and will be abolished shortly. This means that homes put on the market on or after 21 May 2010 will no longer need a HIP.

Landlords and homeowners will still need to provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before selling or letting homes:

An EPC must be commissioned before a property can be marketed for sale or to let (if not already available)**

The EPC must be available before the contracts are exchanged or the tenancy agreement is signed

All EPCs for sales and letting are valid for up to 10 years
Only qualified and accredited Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) are able to create an EPC.

There are thousands of DEAs vying for your business, just make sure they are producing professional reports.

NLA EPCs offer the same competitively priced service throughout the UK, no matter where your residential property is based or its size.

An EPC costs only £55. An EPC plus professional floor plan only £66. (NLA member rate including VAT. For residential property only).

*There are currently no plans to scrap the Home Report in Scotland. There has never been an equivalent to HIPS in Northern Ireland.
** EPC not required when marketing non-self contained HMOs for let (eg bedsits).

According to a RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) News Release of the 19th May 10 "Scottish Home Reports unaffected by HIPs scrapping"

Home Reports in Scotland are unaffected by the abolition of Home Information Packs (HIPs) in England and Wales.

The scrapping of HIPs was a long-standing commitment of the Conservative Party and has been adopted by the new UK Government.

Recent media coverage has lead to some confusion over the position in Scotland.

Home Reports are a devolved matter so responsibility lies entirely with the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament