Home information packs explainedWhat is a Hip?

Get a Home Information Pack before you start packing

Home information packs, or Hips, are a collection of documents providing information about a property for sale.

What do Hips do?

Hips are were brought in to make the sales process easier by reducing the chances of any nasty surprises in the selling process that could delay the sale.

If you're selling a property in England or Wales, you must have a Hip before you, or your estate agent, can begin marketing your property. Hips are commissioned and paid for by the seller of a property.

What Hips mean for buyers

If you are a buyer, you should ask to see the Hip. Buyers can't be charged to see the Hip – you'll get a copy of the Hip free on any property you are interested in, usually from the estate agent. However, you could be asked to pay copying and postage costs.

You are not required to make an offer on a property before requesting a copy.

What's in a Hip?

As of 6 April 2009, a Hip must include the following:

Index
Property information questionnaire (PIQ)
Energy performance certificate* (or predicted energy assessment)
Sustainability certificate (new homes only)
Sale statement
Land Registry documents (eg evidence of title)
Local property searches**
A copy of the lease** (for leasehold properties only)

*An energy performance certificate (EPC) shows the energy efficiency rating and environmental impact of your property. It uses an A to G rating system similar to the ones used on fridges and washing machines. It also advises on cost-effective improvements that can be made to cut bills and reduce emissions. They must be produced by a certified domestic energy assessor or home inspector.

** Local property searches and a copy of the lease should be added to the Hip as soon as they are available, but must be included in the pack within 28 days. All searches, whether produced by a local authority or a search company, must be complete with no gaps in the data covered by insurance.

Your Hip may also include the following optional documents:

A legal summary
A home condition report (HCR) containing information about the physical condition of the property – this gives you a better idea of the value of the property
Information on non-standard searches, such as mining searches in a relevant area

Find out more about Hips on the Directgov website.

Buying and selling in Scotland – Home Reports

Home Reports (HRs) were introduced in Scotland on 1 December 2008. Like Hips, an energy performance certificate will be included, but they also contain a mandatory single survey about the property’s condition and a seller's property questionnaire (similar to the PIQ in England and Wales). These extra elements bring real benefits to consumers in Scotland.

Find out more about Home Reports on the Scottish Government website.

Hips in Northern Ireland

Home information packs and home reports are not compulsory in Northern Ireland, as its housing market does not suffer the same delays and problems experienced in England, Wales and Scotland. However, energy performance certificates are used in line with the requirements of the EU directive.