H.I.P.S

[tim]

We need to move this year and will be putting our house on the market this summer. However, its definitely not ready to go on the market all guns blazing by June 1st which would neatly avoid the ridiculous and badly thought out Home information Pack. Given the house is 200 years old there isn't really going to be much value in an energy efficiency report is there!!

However, my point is this - does anyone know what constitutes marketing a house? There doesn't appear to be any guide lines on the government sites except to say a private sale requires no HIP and that if a house is on the market before June 1, no HIP is needed.

If I put a few pictures of my house on a web page and ask for offers, do you think that would work? Has anyone else got a smart way of getting round forking out £500 odd to have a worthless document that no buyers' lenders believe anyway?

Cheers

Tim

 

[LeeElms]

I'm sure the web site would be marketing the house.

It's up to you to decide whether to take the risk as to whether the Trading Standards people will spot it. (And I gather that even if they do, the fine is only £200 - and it's not a criminal offence).

 

[ike]

If the fine is only £200, you'll at worst be saving yourself £300!.

Ike

 

[tim]

It's up to you to decide whether to take the risk as to whether the Trading Standards people will spot it.

Have I missed something? Why would it matter if they spotted it? As far as I am aware its legal to sell your house yourself and I'm talking about putting an ad up before the 1st of June ie no HIP required.

Obviously if I have misinterpreted something then please let me know.

Cheers

Tim

 

[wizer]

I disagree with HIPS and I like your idea.... But what about if your buyer insists on a HIP?

 

[Lord Nibbo]

If the fine is only £200, you'll at worst be saving yourself £300!.

Ike

It might be only £200 but it's £200 per day !

 

[ike]

The government thought poll tax was a great idea. I hope HIPS goes the same way. :evil:

Ike

 

[LeeElms]

Sorry, I didn't pick up that you were talking about putting up the ad. before 1-JUN ... in that case, there's no problem.

Re: £200 / day ... yes, that's a bit different. I still wonder how much effort they will put into applying these fines.

 

[Adam]

http://www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk/ ... tions.html

See above. Get a "For Sale" sign in the window, and get a dated photograph of it.

Thing is, come August/September, when you house is up against some others, and buyers are more used to it, I reckon it will reduce your price by more than £500 by refusing to offer one, "on the grounds it went on the market before 1st June". Especially if everyone else has had one done. Quite likely them might put the starting date back?

Adam

 

[wizer]

you can also send the dated photo back to yourself via registered post, don't open it and that will be further proof of the date.

 

[Jake]

I looked at the Regulations and they say that the intention must have been to sell before 1st June and that reasonable efforts must have been made to sell the house. Nice and vague, then.

I think you risk making your house look like no-one wants it (because you will be saying that it has been on the market since May or whatever), which could lose you a lot more than £500 in the terms of the offers you get.

 

[Keith Smith]

You'll probably find the buyers solicitor will insist that you get one and it will either then either delay or lose you the sale.

Sell quick or grit your teeth and get one

Another costly waste of time, :roll: