homebuyers pack

whereschris

Hi there

Sorry if this is a repeat of a previous thread....

I am buying a house with a view to doing it up and selling it on. Am i right in thinking that after June we need to provide a sellers pack. If so what will this include? Also, would I be able to use certain parts of the survey and searches i had done during my buying process?

Thanks

Richard_Webster

If you can advertise it for sale BEFORE 1st June then you won't have to provide a HIP for some time and will probably get away without one.

If you don't start to market until 1st June then the survey will not be in the right format as a Home Condition Report and these are optional now anyway so I wouldn't bother.

The searches will probably be too old to use again.

You will have to have a Energy Efficiency Report done and your solicitor should be able to assemble the rest of the pack quite easily.

The packs as modified don't really achieve any of the government's original objectives other than getting these Energy Efficiency Reports in to encourage us all to think about the subject more. They certainly won't really speed up the procees because the questionnaire that the seller typically has had to complete - presently called the Sellers Property Information Form - won't be a compulsory element so the buyer's solicitor will have to ask for the new version of this to be supplied duly completed.

As a conveyancing solicitor I believe the information given in the post to be useful but I accept no liability except to fee-paying client

Rick62

My understanding is that if you start marketing before 1 June then you have a further 9 months before you need to get one. So just put it on with an agent but tell him not to bother too much until your ready.

whereschris

hi
Thanls for your help. Getting the house on the market by the first of June would be a tall order but would be nice! Does anyone know potential costs of this pack?
Thanks

andystephens

The company I work for are setting up a subsiduary company which will be supplying these packs. As far as I am aware they cost around the £300 mark.

I can expect an sudden influx of properties on the market in May to avoid having to get this pack!

courtjester

It will depend on competition between providers, but expect it to be closer to £450 for direct sourcing - has to be from an approved supplier. Any existing documents or surveys won't comply unless they have been provided by the pack supplier in advance.

Agents may or may not include it 'free' in their commission charges. If they do, don't expect to negotiate them down on their full commission rate, so such 'free' offers are likely to cost you more overall...

You don't have to appoint any agent as long as the property is 'on the market' prior to 1 June - you could advertise privately, you merely need evidence of the marketing having started prior to 1 June. You then have up until March 2008 to sell before you need to purchase the official HIP.