PDA

View Full Version : Home Information Packs - What's this all about?


SupraAyf
19-09-07, 21:58
I just couldn't believe what I was hearing when a young lass came to our house yesterday in order to conduct the environmental home assessment part of the HIP.

Well ,we got talking and I asked her what energy rating our house was likely to receive after her survey. She first explained that all houses received a grade from A to G and then said that we would get a C or D ('A' being the best). Bear in mind that our house is only 20-months old.

FFS, I was expecting an A or B after all the money that has been spent on it but she then explained that any new home would only receive a C or D grade as they don't build them these days to a standard that would command an A or B - Apparently its all to do with new houses being too warm in the summer if they were to be built to an A or B grade efficiency level.

This will certainly have a role-on affect on things if our taxes ever become HIP related, as very few people will ever get a good reduction for being environmentally friendly. Can anyone verify that what she said is true or is it bluff?

..............and all that for £354 incl VAT.:(

Oh yes, the last point stated was that A-grades were impossible to attain while it was very rare to award a B.

Havard
19-09-07, 22:07
WTF!! Did you have to pay then??

H.

SupraAyf
19-09-07, 22:11
WTF!! Did you have to pay then??

H.

Yes mate, the whole HIP came to £354 inc VAT. I have been told that the HIP is worth very little in terms of valuable info but this is set to change in the next few years when they 'may' introduce survey-info in to the pack - now that would be a good idea, but until then: waste of time:(

Pete
19-09-07, 22:19
All new houses need leak testing now. I have a customer that runs a huge block company and they've had to alter them to comply with the latest energy compliance laws for not leaking air and reducing noise levels etc.

We've just programmed a new system for a local Solictors which creates these HIPs packs from their individual elements.

They've been doing this kind of thing in Sweden for years I gather?

Class One
19-09-07, 22:22
Just think of it a yet another tax. They're not worth the money they're printed on, no buyer in their right mind would accept the information on them, a solicitor and mortgage company would demand a home buyers survey at least and you still have to pay for the conveyancing. Complete rip off.