What is a Home Information Pack?

Home Information Packs (HIPS) were introduced in an effort to pull together several of the documents needed in a house sale in order to attempt to simplify and speed up the house buying process. House sellers can source their HIP from where ever they choose but the HIP must be ordered and available before properties can be put on the market in England. We can arrange to provide you with a HIP - please speak to the valuer when getting your house appraised or email here to ask us to arrange for the provision of your HIP.

A Home Information Pack (HIP) is required for most residential properties when they are marketed for sale in England and Wales. You are allowed to market a property if the HIP has been commissioned and paid for and several of the documents are completed (generally known as a mini HIP) so long as proof that the other documents have been ordered is available. The full HIP must be fully available within 28 days of the start of marketing of the property.

You do not need to provide a HIP for:

sales to a family member, neighbour or friend where no marketing has taken place
non-residential properties
properties limited by law for use as holiday accommodation or occupation for less than 11 months per year
mixed sales, e.g. a shop with a flat
right to buy and similar sales
sales of property portfolios
properties sold without complete vacant possession, e.g. with a sitting tenant who will remain living in the property after the sale
unsafe properties and properties for demolition

What a Home Information Pack contains

The Home Information Pack (HIP) must contain the following documents:

An index which lists documents contained in the HIP and provides a checklist for sellers, buyers, estate agents and enforcement authorities. The index must also state if a required document is not included and explain what steps are being taken to obtain it. Download a sample index from the directory website (PDF) - Opens in a new window.
A Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) which will provide a summary of information about a property, helping buyers decide whether to view a property, and ultimately whether to make an offer.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which shows a property's energy efficiency, recommends ways to improve efficiency and explains its environmental impact in terms of carbon emissions.
A Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA) for newly built homes, which are usually marketed before they are built. This should be replaced by a full EPC when the home is built.
A sale statement that includes the name of the seller, property address, whether it is freehold, leasehold or commonhold, registered or unregistered, and being sold with vacant possession.
Standard searches including a search of the local land charges register and other records held by the local authority (regarding such issues as planning decisions and road building proposals) and the provision of drainage and water services to the property.
Evidence of title documents that prove the seller owns and has the right to sell the property. If the property is registered, certain documents available on request from the Land Registry must be included in the HIP.
If appropriate, a copy of the lease or information about commonhold. See our guide: Home Information Packs - a guide for HIP providers.
For new-builds, a certificate (or interim certificate) showing the sustainability of the home where it complies with the standards under the Code for Sustainable Homes or a nil-rated certificate where the property has not been assessed against the code.

Optional documents

It is optional to include a number of other documents in a HIP including:

a Home Condition Report which describes the property's physical condition
additional leasehold documents - such as information on service charges
a legal summary that provides a plain English explanation of legal information in the HIP
home use/content forms that provide information on boundaries, notices, services, sharing with neighbours, planning permissions, fixtures/fittings/contents included in the sale
other documents such as non-standard searches, rights of way, guarantees for maintenance and renovation work carried out