Optional documents
HIPs: Optional documents
HIPs: optional documents
There are two types of document included in a Home Information Pack: required (compulsory) and authorised (optional). It is up to the seller whether they include these optional documents. This could include a Home Condition Report, a legal summary or a home contents form.
1: Home Condition Report
A Home Condition Report contains information about the physical condition of a property, which sellers, buyers and lenders will be able to rely on legally as an accurate report.
It is similar to a Homebuyer Survey and can let the seller and buyer be aware of any works or repairs that are needed to the property.
The report:
- must be carried out by a certified Home Inspector
- must be written in plain English and not include technical jargon
- gives you comprehensive information on work or repairs needed to the property, reducing the chance of nasty surprises later on
See an example Download a sample report (PDF, 435K)
Benefits of a Home Condition Report
Sellers
You have an early opportunity to carry out repair work on the property or get quotes before marketing your property. By giving buyers a clearer idea of your property, it reduces the risk of a buyer pulling out later in the process due to an unforeseen problem and gives your property an additional selling point.
Buyers
If the seller has included a Home Condition Report, you can use it at the begining of the home-buying process to reduce the risk of being faced with unexpected repair bills and other surprises when you buy the property.
Buyers and their mortgage lenders have a legal right to rely on the report, so you can give the report to lenders when they make their valuation. This means they may not have to repeat a detailed site inspection at your cost.
The report must be carried out by a certified Home Inspector.
2: Legal Summary
HIPs may contain some complex documents that can be difficult to understand. The HIP can contain an optional legal summary, which is just a simple summary of all the legal documents. A solicitor or HIP provider will be able to produce a legal summary.
3: Home contents forms
The Home contents form lets sellers give buyers information on a range of matters relating to the property.
It is usual for sellers to declare which fixtures and fittings and other contents of the property are:
- included in the sale
- excluded from the sale
- subject to negotiation
See an example : Download a sample home contents form (DOC, 138K)
4: Searches
The standard searches need to be included in HIPs, but they can also contain non-standard searches. This can often speed up the sale of the property.
For example, its standard practice to obtain a mining search in areas where coal mining has taken place. Sellers in these areas could save time if they provide this search in the HIP.
Other non-standard searches cover rights of way, ground stability and actual or potential environmental hazards such as flooding and contaminated land.
5: Guarantees and warranties
Guarantees and warranties for work already carried out on your home, such as damp proofing, may be included in the HIP.
For a HIP Quotation, please click here