HIP announcement - now includes PIQ - anyone seen one?

privateseller

I just saw an announcement on direct.gov which related to the April 6th HIP date, but which also said that:

"From April 6th, you’ll be able to get a copy of a Home Information Pack for any property you are interested in as soon as it comes on to the market.

In addition, the HIP will now contain a new Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ). The PIQ will contain useful information on structural changes / damage, flood risk, gas and electrical safety, parking arrangements and, for leasehold properties, additional information such as the current service charge. It ensures that common questions are answered at the beginning of the process and before you incur any costs, so you can avoid surprises later on – particularly helpful to first-time buyers with little experience of buying a home."

Does anyone have experience of these? (I just searched for PIQ on this site and just got stories about stripy socks!)

Some of those questions seem to be completely outside of the 'man in the street's' ability to answer: structural changes - surveyor? gas and electrical safety - certificate from Corgi and who else? Flood risk? The flood risk website is laughably inaccurate and generalised. (It believes that all the area in a postcode is at the same elevation! my own house is listed as being near an area prone to flooding but that refers to a stream a quarter of a mile away and about 100ft lower!)

It doesn't look like the old SPIF. This one seems to require a team of experts to compile - and all properties on sale on April 6th will need one.

Are there any experts out there who have seen one or been asked to carry one out?

m_13

From the HIP-Consultant website:

The Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) will be shortly rolled out after the draft version was produced and the related consultation was completed and added to the legislation.

There does not seem to have been vast modification to the document and legislation since we published the last article regarding the Property Information Questionnaire in August. However, the planned implementation of the PIQ was intended for the the 1st January 2009 however this has been delayed to 6th April 2009 to allow the industry to prepare for the addition to the Home Information Pack Legislation.

The ‘new’ HIP requirement has not been widely reported and awareness does seem to range from ‘quite aware’ to ‘what are you talking about?’

Some people will be aware of the Home Use Form which due to problems with some of the information requested was made a voluntary document within the HIP. Comparisions can be made between the two documents; however, the PIQ will be a mandatory requirement within the Home Information Pack when the implementation date is reached.

Is the PIQ going to dramatically change Home Information Packs?

No, probably not. However, It will provide additional relevant information of interest to the prospective home buyer which many critics have complained the home information pack has not done so far.

When you take a look over the questions which are required to be answered you will quickly see that they are relatively straight forward and easily answered on the whole. It is not anticipated that any specialist knowledge will be required to complete the Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ).

For buyers - the PIQ will give some great information on practical issues/points related to the property in question, which will help make an informed decision on the prospective purchase.

For sellers - it will give the opportunity to provide upfront information about the property which may either further attract interest or assist in preventing sales falling through at the last minute.

For estate agents - it may give rise to a very small amount of extra ‘work’ as they could be asked by their HIP provider to distribute a hard copy of the form if an electronic solution for completion is not appropriate.

For conveyancers - there is no need to fear the PIQ, it is not intended to replace the work they or other property professionals carry out.

As the critiques of Home Information Packs resistance relaxes the Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) further embeds its value. We look forward to the continued development of the HIP and the added benefits the PIQ could bring.

The General Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) download.
The New Homes version - Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) download.

I think the area I've highlighted in red is an understatement!

fluffymuffy

We just gave our instruction to sell to our local estate agent and she told us that now was a good time to sell as from April the HIP needs to be available at the point the house is put on the market - whereas now we only have to demonstrate that we've ordered one. Our estate agent thinks this will cause a blockage with houses not being able to be put on the market in April as the packs take some weeks to produce.

Richard_Webster

The idea in principle was a good one.

Trouble is it would be better if it sought to answer most of the questions a buyer's solicitor would be likely to ask - then we would be nearer having an "exchange ready" HIP, which was the government's original intention.

As it is, it is going to confuse and and annoy. In particular I am concerned about the questions that ask about work done by the seller at the property. So if the obvious extension was put on by the seller's predecessors, the sellers will say that no work has taken place, yet the buyers will think it is funny, and complain. The seller's response will be that they are simply asking the stupid question. It is stupid because the buyer's solicitors will want to know about the work, whether the seller did it or not, so why not ask about any work at any time? OK the sellers may not know but they can say something like "Conservatory built late 1970s, Can't find any consents."

The form I get my clients to complete when they are selling has the following at the beginning of the section about works: " Are you aware of any the following taking place to the property or any part of it since it was built (including the garden). If yes, please state the year and tick to confirm which documents were obtained. To save you time and money please send us any paperwork which you have relating to each of the changes."

The form can be downloaded from http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/propertyinformationquestionnaire

m_13

fluffymuffy wrote: »

We just gave our instruction to sell to our local estate agent and she told us that now was a good time to sell as from April the HIP needs to be available at the point the house is put on the market - whereas now we only have to demonstrate that we've ordered one. Our estate agent thinks this will cause a blockage with houses not being able to be put on the market in April as the packs take some weeks to produce.

It's true that to be marketed the HIP has to be ordered but not necessarily available. I think the fine for not having ordered one but be actively marketing the property is £200 per day. Looking online it would appear you can get a HIP done in less than 10 days but you are allowed up to 28 days.

privateseller

Thanks m_13. Now I've looked at the form it is nothing like as draconian as it seemed from the direct.gov announcement!

I see it only says "Have you looked at the freely-available flood etc." to which you can simply say "yes" whether or not it gives a flood risk! Pretty stupid drafting!

Lots of places for "Don't know" replies as well. What use is this meant to be to anyone involved?

As Richard Webster says, it's a good idea in principle but pretty stupid in execution. Sums it all up for HIPs really!

privateseller

Richard_Webster wrote: »

Are you aware of any the following taking place to the property or any part of it since it was built (including the garden).

Does this include since 'time immemorial'?

Scenario: grizzled bushranger talking to kangaroo and holding hand to ear:

"What's that Skippy? A HIPs inspector trapped down the old mine-shaft? But that can't be right. It isn't stated on the PIQ!

Have a tinny and chill me old marsupial"

(fade to black)