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Home Information Packs
What you need to know before you sell
If you're looking to sell a residential property in England or Wales, you’ll need to commission a Home Information Pack (HIP). The pack gives potential buyers basic information about your property.
As the seller, you have to arrange and pay for the HIP. The law says you have to commission a HIP before you put your property on the market. However, you can market your property before you've actually received the completed HIP.
A HIP contains a wide range of information - from planning and road building decisions, to proof that you own the property.
Your HIP – in around two weeks
To help arrange your HIP, we are happy to introduce you to Legal Marketing Services Ltd (LMS), one of the largest providers of HIPs in the UK. A standard HIP usually takes around two weeks to put together.
You can use the LMS website to check progress at any time – or simply give them a call.
Essential information
By law, your HIP must contain the following information:
| HIP section | Description |
|---|---|
| Energy Performance Certificate | Tells the buyer how energy efficient the property is, and sets out the property’s environmental impact. It may also contain hints and tips on how to improve the property’s rating. |
| Sale statement | Basic information about the property, including the address – and whether it is freehold, leasehold or commonhold. |
| Standard searches | Details of the local land charges register relating to the property, as well as water and drainage searches. There are also other records held by the local authority, such as planning and road building decisions. |
| Evidence of title | This proves that you own the property – which means that you have the right to sell it. |
| Leasehold or commonhold documents | These are only required for leasehold or commonhold properties. |
| Index of contents | A list of all the documents in the pack, and an explanation of why any are missing. |
Optional information
Some HIPs may also contain what are known as 'authorised' documents. You don’t have to include these – they're strictly optional:
| HIP section | Description |
|---|---|
| Home Condition Report | This contains information about the physical condition of your property, which buyers and their lenders will be able to rely on. By including one, you should reduce the risk of the purchase falling through. That’s because problems with the property should be revealed early on, giving you the opportunity to fix them. |
| Legal summary | A summary of the legal content of the HIP. Not available when arranging your HIP through RBS. |
| Home use/content forms | Information on boundaries, planning permissions and similar subjects. Not available when arranging your HIP through RBS. |
| Other documents | LMS are able to supply an Environmental Report. This identifies adverse environmental issues that may affect the property, or confirms there are none. |
- Do I need a Home Information Pack?
- How do I get a HIP?
- What happens once I have commissioned LMS to provide my HIP?
- When can I start to market my property for sale?
- How long is the HIP valid?
- How do buyers get hold of my HIP?
- How can I find out more?
Do I need a Home Information Pack?
Yes - if you are planning to sell a residential property in England or Wales. You need to commission a Home Information Pack (HIP) before you put your property on the market – there are very few exceptions to this.
Back to topHow do I get a HIP?
Simply call LMS on 0845 075 7319.
Back to topWhat happens once I have commissioned LMS to provide my HIP?
LMS will gather and prepare all the documents. To complete the Energy Performance Certificate, LMS will arrange a time for an energy assessor to visit your property.
Back to topWhen can I start to market my property for sale?
Straight away – once you've commissioned a HIP. You just have to make sure the HIP is available to any potential buyers as soon as possible.
Back to topHow long is the HIP valid?
The HIP is valid for as long as the property remains on the market.
However, some documents within the HIP need to be less than three months old when marketing of the property starts. The Energy Performance Certificate cannot be more than one year old.
Back to topHow do buyers get hold of my HIP?
They should contact you or the advertising estate agent. The HIP will be available online. You must provide the HIP free of charge – although estate agents can charge prospective buyers for copying, posting and packaging.
How can I find out more?
The UK government has produced a website with useful information on HIPs.
Home Information Packs are provided to Royal Bank of Scotland customers by Legal Marketing Services Ltd (LMS), a third party provider which is not part of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. RBS receive a fee from LMS for any HIPs arranged as a result of RBS’s referral. By contacting LMS via a referral from RBS, you are consenting to your data being used for the purposes of obtaining a Home Information Pack or gaining details about RBS mortgage products. LMS are subject to the terms of the Data Protection Act.
Calls may be recorded.