What is in a Home Information Pack
The pack must contain the following, which must be no more than three months old when the property is first marketed:
- Index
- Energy Performance Certificate
- Sale Statement
- Property Information Questionnaire
- Title documents for the property
- Local Authority and drainage searches
If the property is leasehold or commonhold, then the pack must also include the following:
- Copy of the lease
- Building insurance policy
- Contact details for the landlord or management and any legal details
- Regulations that apply
- Recent service charge receipts and accounts
For a transitional period sellers can market their homes without the searches or leasehold documents as long as the pack contains evidence that they have been commissioned and will be included as soon as practicable but certainly within 28 days.However the Government announced in December 2008 that with effect from 6 April 2009 this concession will be withdrawn and the HIPS pack must be completely available on the day that the property is first offered for sale.
The pack may also contain some or all of these authorised documents:
- Home Condition Report
- Two sellers questionnaire forms called Home Use Form and Home Contents Form
- Legal summary
- Other searches such as a mining search
