Complaints procedure

Home Information Packs are designed to reduce the stress of buying and selling a home. But when problems do arise, it is important that consumers know where to go to resolve them.

When Home Information Packs are introduced, there will be various redress schemes in place to which Pack providers should belong and to which Home Inspectors and Domestic Energy Inspectors must belong. For the first time, Government will require estate agents marketing homes for sale with Packs to belong to an approved redress scheme. This will guarantee home buyers and sellers access to redress and help deal with rogue agents.

To make it easier for those seeking redress, there will be a single point of access in place when the Packs are introduced so that consumers can speak to advisers and get clear, practical, impartial advice and courses of action which they can rely on.

This service is currently being provided by Consumer Direct, the consumer-advice service supported by the Office of Fair Trading. You can find more information in their leaflet, available on the Publications page.