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Do I need a HIP

All residential properties in England and Wales 'new to the market' require a Home Information Pack by law or the person responsible for marketing the property, the seller for private selling, will face a £200 fine for every occasion they are caught marketing without a Home Information Pack.

Who is Exempt?

The following are Exempt from the Home Information Pack Regulations: Properties for non-residential use Seasonal and holiday accommodation Mobile homes Mixed use Portfolio of properties Unsafe properties that are not occupied

Properties for demolition Properties in Scotland Properties in Northern Ireland Properties marketed before the commencement dates (see below) Role out Phases and commencement datesProperties on the market before certain dates,whether with an Agent or advertise privately are exempt as long as they have been continuously marketed.

A break in marketing after these dates, even for 1 day, will then trigger the need to buy a Home Information Pack. If your property was on the market BEFORE the following dates, you do not require a Home Information Pack:

4+ bed homes on market before 1st Aug 2007 are exempt. 3 bed homes on market before 10th Sep 2007 are exempt. Studio,

1 & 2 bed homes on market before 14th Dec 2007 are exempt. 1st May 2008 OnwardsNew build homes require a HIP and will be required to include a certificate (or interim certificate) showing either the Code for Sustainable Homes or a nil-rated certificate showing that the home meets current building regulations.

You Must Order A HIP before advertising

The temporary period of being able to market a home by simply ordering a HIP, and the HIP not actually being completed, ends on the 5th April 2009.

A property cannot be marketed from 6th April 2009 until a completed HIP is available

(Note: This originally was to be 1st June 2008, then 1st January 2009 but has now been delayed tile 6th April 2009).

However, due to difficulties in obtaining certain documents, a completed HIP may be missing the following documents, and the marketing can start without these documents:

Evidence of title (If unregistered) Local Searches Drainage and Water Search Leasehold information or commonhold information