What are my obligations
The Pack duties apply to whoever is responsible for marketing (the 'responsible person'). That will be the seller or an estate agent marketing on their behalf, or both if the seller is marketing the property themselves along with an agent. If the Pack provider is also the estate agent, the duties and obligations described in Estate agents and auctioneers will apply.
From 1 May 2008 onwards a HIP for a new build home must have a certificate (or interim certificate) showing the rating that the home has received in respect of the Code for Sustainable Homes or a nil-rated certificate showing that the home has only been designed to meet current Building Regulations.
Do I have to belong to AHIPP or some other organisation?
No, but consumers and industry are likely to favour Packs that have been produced under recognised standards and an agreed Code of Practice. On 29 September 2006, the Search Code and HIP Code were introduced, delivering quality standards across both the property search industry and in Home Information Packs (HIPs).
If you are producing a HIP, you may wish to consider joining the HIP Code. Similarly, if you are commissioning searches, you may wish to consider a company that has signed up to the Search Code.
Here you can find a full list of organisations that have signed up to one or both of the codes at the Property Codes Compliance Board (PCCB). The PCCB has been established to maintain a register of firms committed to operating within these standards of practice and to independently monitor compliance with the Codes. The PCCB will also encourage organisations to sign-up to the Codes to promote increased consumer protection.
Providing proof of commission
CLG have produced a form that can be completed by a HIP provider for the marketer of a property to demonstrate that a HIP has been comissioned. This form is not mandatory and HIP providers may use their own systems and forms to give proof of comissioning to the marketer of a property. See the Other Publications page to download.
