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What is a Home Information Pack?
The Home Information Pack contains important information that buyers
and sellers need to know. From 1st June 2007, anyone marketing a
property, or their representative, will be legally required to have
a Home Information Pack and make it available to potential buyers of
the property.
For sellers, providing a Pack upfront should reduce the likelihood
of any nasty surprises in the selling process that could delay the
sale, as buyers will be able to make more informed decisions about
purchasing their home.
For buyers, the Pack provides essential information about properties
they are considering buying, free of charge.
What does a Pack contain?
Compulsory documents:
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Home Information Pack
Index - A list of the contents of the pack. |
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Energy Performance
Certificate - a rating of the energy efficiency of the home
from A (the top grade) to G (the lowest grade). It will also
include tips on how to make the home more efficient, and
must be produced by a Licensed Home Inspector. |
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Sale statement - a brief
description of the terms of the sale. |
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Standard searches - local
authority searches, water, drainage, sewers, mains etc. |
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Evidence of title - Proof of
Ownership. |
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Additional information for
leasehold sales (a copy of the lease, details of who the
landowner is, any service charges and insurance details) and
commonhold sales (where parts of the property have 2 or more
owners, and should include a copy of the Commonhold
Community Statement), where appropriate. |
Optional documents:
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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. The Report is an
important part of the Pack and sellers who provide a Report
will have an early opportunity to carry out repair work on
the property or obtain quotes prior to marketing. Buyers can
use it at the beginning of the home-buying process to
minimise the possibility of being faced with unexpected
repair bills and other surprises. Lenders can benefit by
using the Reports to inform their valuations, reducing the
need to repeat a detailed on-site inspection at the buyer's
expense |
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Legal summary - summary
of the legal content of the pack, very helpful to buyers,
although it will not remove the need for buyers to take
their own legal advice as well. |
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Home use/contents forms -
information on boundaries, notices, services, sharing with
neighbours, planning permissions and other matters of
interest to potential buyers. Fixtures and fittings and
other contents of the property included in the sale,
excluded from the sale, or are subject to negotiation. |
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Other documents - which
will vary, but could for example be :- rights of way, ground
stability and actual or potential environmental hazards such
as flooding and contaminated land. Sellers will also want to
include guarantees and warranties for work already carried
out on their homes. |
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