May 2009

HIPs should be exchange-ready

Sir,

I read with interest the comments made by Paul Smith in the April edition of Estate Agency News.

At last, someone agrees with my long-held views — that the basic Home Information Pack does little to speed up and make more transparent the home buying and selling process.

What I have been saying all along is we need a more comprehensive HIP, i.e. an Exchange- Ready HIP (ERH).

Where Paul is wrong is in saying that the ERH should be ready before marketing commences. That is a delay too far.

The simple solution is that the basic HIP should be prepared before marketing commences (as happens now) and the comprehensive ERH is compiled while marketing takes place.

This does, however, need estate agents, solicitors and HIP providers to work together. Surely that is not impossible when all three parties and the consumer would benefit?

ROB HAILSTONE,
Chairman,
HIPAG,
London SE16.