星空传媒

After a whole decade of contemplation and consideration, the government is making the Home Information Pack, or seller鈥檚 pack, mandatory starting on 1 June 2007.

The final pack be will quite different to the comprehensive model that caused consternation to consumers fearful at paying its 拢700 cost. Now a Home Information Pack (HIP) will cost sellers about 拢250, and the components have a very different emphasis.

The most controversial element of the pack was the home condition report, the seller鈥檚 version of the property survey usually commissioned, and paid for, by would-be buyers. The government has decided not to make home condition reports mandatory and instead is promoting voluntary take-up.

Instead the focus of the pack is on energy efficiency, with the energy performance certificate as a key document. Energy performance certificates (EPC) will explain the performance of the home, in the simple A to G, red to green colour-coded rating used for electrical goods, giving recommendations on how a home鈥檚 energy efficiency could be improved. Other essential documents must also be included in the HIP (see box, below).

Last November the government trialled HIPs with home sellers in seven areas of the country, and as a result around 1,500 Home Information Packs have been issued. Housebuilders need have little to fear from the arrival of the energy performance certificate, either in terms of its demands on them or in likely impact on sales. Miles Keeping, partner at property consultant King Sturge, says: 鈥淔or developers of new build stock, energy performance certificates should not be too onerous, given the necessity to comply with Part L of the 星空传媒 Regulations [covering thermal insulation]. In terms of marketing and sales of new stock, there E E should not be too significant a cost. It might make a difference to a few purchasers, but in reality only as a differentiator between properties considered to be in the right location.鈥�

The biggest burden, if it can be termed as such, will be for private vendors

Miles Keeping, King Sturge

The second-hand sales market is very different. There, says Keeping: 鈥淭he real benefit of energy performance certificates in terms of the environment will be where existing stock is identified as being poorly energy efficient, opportunities for cost-effective improvements are identified and willing purchasers are prepared to negotiate with vendors.鈥�

The environment鈥檚 gain could therefore be the vendor鈥檚 loss, Keeping adds: 鈥淭he biggest 鈥榖urden鈥�, if it can be termed as such, will be for private vendors.鈥� For those renting out homes, the EPC could pose a greater burden. Rental companies do not have to produce EPCs until mid-2008, but the costs will be considerable for large-scale landlords, such as large housing associations. The country鈥檚 leading RSL, Places for People, lobbied for housing associations to be allowed to carry out certification as part of their stock condition surveys. It failed in that objective, and now it is faced with the prospect of producing EPCs for its stock of 47,000 homes.

Nonetheless, Places for People is doing its best to turn a negative into a positive and is working with Energy for Sustainable Development, Nottingham Community Housing Association and the Housing Corporation to develop good practice guidance on implementing certificates in a programme called Certs for Success (visit ). Its guidance covers everything from training costs to improving the energy performance of new build homes.

What housebuilders need to know when building homes for sale

• Homes marketed prior to physical completion will have to have a predicted energy assessment, as it will not be possible to produce a full energy performance certificate.
• Complete homes built to 2006 energy efficiency standards between 1 June and 20 September this year will be able to have an interim energy assessment.
• From 1 October full energy performance certificates and recommendation reports will be required for completed homes under 星空传媒 Regulations