HIPs—will they finally provide benefits? asks Peter Ambrose
The credibility of HIPs is certainly not helped by the lack of understanding among HIP providers of basic property legal issues, so it is hardly surprising that faith is often lacking in the accuracy of documents that they produce.
Until 6 April, most estate agents and clients had little to fear about the timely and accurate production of documentation. If the agent could be given an energy chart for their property particulars, then everyone was happy. This limited requirement clearly benefited those HIP providers with scant legal knowledge and ensured that HIPs remained as merely a legal formality that must be completed before contracts could be exchanged.
However, as sellers must now disclose more information about their property and the removal of the crutch of personal search insurance, issues concerning accountability and liability have come to the fore, and the emphasis has switched towards legal matters and responsibility for content.
Information questionnaire
Sellers must now complete a Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) before an estate agent is allowed
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