Advice Re: Hip Pack

Jorgan_2

chriserenity wrote: »

I would say your area was representative of my own. Some agents are being good but most are not including the EPC graphs and (even worse) some are only including them when they are flattering.

One agent who will remain nameless told me "my customer is the seller, not the buyer. My job is to sell houses. Why would I include information that doesn't present the property in a positive light?".

And theres me thinking it was a legal obligation to have the EPC Graph included. I could save literally minutes each day, if I didn't have to attach them to details or the 'net. The EPC Graph is probably the only part of the HIP pack that the buyer will want to see.

With attitudes like that being shown by the agent, its no wonder the public aren't interested in seeing the packs.

jimc_2

chriserenity wrote: »

Some agents are being good but most are not including the EPC graphs and (even worse) some are only including them when they are flattering.

One agent who will remain nameless told me "my customer is the seller, not the buyer. My job is to sell houses. Why would I include information that doesn't present the property in a positive light?".

Wow! Why nameless?

The local TSO would love to hear him repeat that in their presence. The C&LG guidance/rules (As you are well aware Chris - I don't want to tell grandmother etc..) state that not only is it a required document but it has to be the first page in the HIP following the Index.

This is a clear breach of the HIPs rules and the OFT regard HIPs breaches as inappropriate behaviour that could get the agent a 'cease trading' order or worse. Worse still, it's not just a simple accidental breach but a REFUSAL.

Perhaps agents aren't skillful enough to manipulate the 'stickies' to get the arrows the right colour and in the right place on the axes!

chickmug

diywannabe wrote: »

I'd like to offer a few good old phrases to counteract the negativity of the chickmug below:
(1) "you can do anything if you put your mind to it" (corny but true)
(2) "if you're going to do something, do it well" (one from my dad)
(3) "solicitors are born solicitors" (made up for convenience)
(4) "life is for living, not enduring" (that's one of my own)
(5) "never put off until tomorrow what you can do today" (another corny but true one)
(6) "face your fear and it will disappear" (yeah, but spiders still freak me out)
(7) "tutto andra per il meglio" (from my Italian friend)
The way I see it, if you believe (1), stick by (5) and most definitely do (2), run headlong at (6) and completely DISREGARD (3) (afterall, solicitors go to school like everybody else, seriously, it's a fact!) then you'll feel the power of (4) and all in all, last but not least, (7) will happen for you.
Life is indeed a rich tapestry but to be honest if you read chickmug's comments and hand your faith over to everyone else, frankly you'll end up with some threadbare rug from poundland instead!
But if you do none of the above (1)-(6), you definitely won't have (7) in which case, chickmug has the best possible advice for you!
Cheers
Sam
PS, "tutto andra per il meglio" - roughly translated = "all will be well"

Are you what is know as a TROLL

dekh

jimc wrote: »

More seriously, the OFT, pushed by estate agents, are retrospectively applying the 1979(!) estate agents act (which was passed to protect us FROM agents and seriously pre-dates the internet) to define 96% of these sites as carrying out 'agent duties' and therefore acting as agents and having to sign-up for the agents ombudsman redress scheme. This is a serious concern and you can read more about it at the (non-commercial) Association of Property Advertisers page on the fsbo.org (That's 'for sale by owner'.) website.

Like I said - sod it -

It would be an advertising only site, direct equivalent to sticking an ad in the local free press, and yes drumming up the initial interest and getting the first few thousand houses on would be the biggest problem. I'd make it free but really couldn't afford the bandwidth.

Selling, I guess I'll just stick an ad in the "ronnie gill!" and see what bit. At least doing it yourself you know your property is being pushed.

Last time we bought, half the Estate agents just weren't sending us details. We ended up driving the streets looking for sale boards in areas we liked and then having to chase the estate agents for details. Some of the EA comments were priceless - "nobodies asked to see that house in a while." - but it's in our price range - "Still hasn't been very popular" - but the area is great - "Well we've got these newer properties here..." - but it's 2 minutes walk from the beach ... and so it goes.

If someone had their own board up saying "We're selling come and knock on the door!" We would'veknocked. More people should try it. Save 1% to 1.5% of your sale or afford to market at 1% - 1.5% less than the other properties around.

chriserenity

jimc wrote: »

Wow! Why nameless?

The local TSO would love to hear him repeat that in their presence. The C&LG guidance/rules (As you are well aware Chris - I don't want to tell grandmother etc..) state that not only is it a required document but it has to be the first page in the HIP following the Index.

This is a clear breach of the HIPs rules and the OFT regard HIPs breaches as inappropriate behaviour that could get the agent a 'cease trading' order or worse. Worse still, it's not just a simple accidental breach but a REFUSAL.

Perhaps agents aren't skillful enough to manipulate the 'stickies' to get the arrows the right colour and in the right place on the axes!

Nameless because I am not in the business of 'shopping' agents to my local trading standards officer! The purpose of my post is just to clarify to the readers of this forum that it is now a legal requirement to include the A-G efficiency charts in particulars and to be aware of this when approving sales particulars from an agent. In the example I gave if nothing else this individual would no doubt listen to a paying vendor's pointed question of where their EPC information is (that they've paid someone to produce incidentally).

A123JACK

Thanks everyone for the info - this really is a minefield. Having spoken to a number of estate agents can anyone advise:

One agent wants to arrange the HIP for £399 + VAT (ouch) if I provide one from another company this could be subject to a checking fee. From there experiences alot of the on-line providers packs can be full of errors.

My preffered agent can provide a HIP for £360 inc vat.

The company I sourced online convenancingbrokers.co.uk do the pack for £264 inc vat.

Any advice - I like the thought of saving £100 but is it worth the hassle??

chriserenity

A123JACK wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the info - this really is a minefield. Having spoken to a number of estate agents can anyone advise:

One agent wants to arrange the HIP for £399 + VAT (ouch) if I provide one from another company this could be subject to a checking fee. From there experiences alot of the on-line providers packs can be full of errors.

My preffered agent can provide a HIP for £360 inc vat.

The company I sourced online convenancingbrokers.co.uk do the pack for £264 inc vat.

Any advice - I like the thought of saving £100 but is it worth the hassle??

Have you asked conveyancingbrokers if you need to take their conveyancing as well with the pack being £264 all inclusive?

A123JACK

chriserenity wrote: »

Have you asked conveyancingbrokers if you need to take their conveyancing as well with the pack being £264 all inclusive?

The price is quoted on there website and I couldnt see anything in the small print. I have sent them an email asking the question.

Thanks for that

A123JACK

chriserenity wrote: »

Have you asked conveyancingbrokers if you need to take their conveyancing as well with the pack being £264 all inclusive?

I received a response from them confirming there is no tie to any conveyancing. Seems a good deal, should i / shouldnt i !!!

Jorgan_2

It does seem a good price. One of my clients has used a cheaper internet based HIP provider & its taking ages for the info to come through. We have also received a letter from a solicitor advising us that she is buying her own property & they require all the sales details as soon as possible. She was a little surprised when I advised her of this as there was no conveyancing tie in.