Home Information Packs (HIPS)
HIPs are required for all residential properties for sale or letting in England and Wales from the 14th December 2007. If you are selling your house privately you will still need a HIP. Government legislation on HIPS allows the public to draw up their own HIP. Sellers must make the HIP available to all potential buyers. If you are using an Estate Agent, you can still make your own pack. However some Estate Agents will do this for vendors and at completion of the sale will add the cost to their fees.

A HIP contains an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) showing how energy efficient a house is on a scale of A to G. (it looks similar to the example below which are the guidelines you will see on a new fridge). A house that is the most energy efficient with low fuel bills will be band A. The certificate will also show the impact a house has on the environment through its CO2 emissions.

Most homes will have a rating of band D to E in energy efficiency and environmental impact. The certificate will also recommend ways to improve the energy efficiency of the house and show how to reduce the cost of heating, lighting bills and the impact on the environment.

If sellers wish to draw up their own HIPs they will have to pay each of the following organisations individually: a domestic energy assessment company (such as Border Counties Domestic Energy Assessors Ltd) for the EPC, the Land Registry for the title document, the Local Authority for standard searches. etc. If you use a Solicitor to make up the HIP you can ask for it without an EPC and attain an EPC privately. A vendor should contact at least 3 solicitors asking for quotations to include final charges.

Rental Property
In accordance with the EU Directive of buildings 2002/91/EC – EPBD, rented homes in October 2008 will need an Energy Performance Certificate these will be valid for 10 years. Landlords, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required to market a property to rent and for sale from the 1st October 2008 and must be provided free of charge to prospective tenants and buyers at the earliest convenience.
Landlord's, please note an EPC is required as the tenants changes and a new tenancy commences.

Border Counties Domestic Energy Assessors Limited can provide you with the EPC for residential property. We cover Shropshire Herefordshire, Powys and Gloucestershire.