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Home Informations Packs ( HIPs ) - Who will benefit?
The new 'Home Information Packs' ( HIPs ) look set to be a ( life insurance policies ) cost for buyer and seller and a source of income for government - or is that undue pessimism?
Author: Richard Norfolk
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The time is drawing ever nearer when Home Information Packs will be a legal requirement for house sales, initiated and paid for by the seller. With costs variously estimated to be from a ( cheap life insurance ) low of £500 to a high of £1200 it can be seen that 'facts' are somewhat scarce. What is certain however is that from 1 st June 2007, the additional funds necessary to provide this pack for any and every house sale attempt will make many potential sellers think twice before committing their property to the market.
Note the words 'sale attempt' - failure to sell the house will not result in a refund of these costs. The ( insurance ) house inspector will have done his job and been paid, and the government will have taken their cut in the form of VAT, so it will be 'sorry folks - no money can be returned'. Try again later? Certainly, but in the increased 'Snakes and Ladders' format of house sales you have gone back to the beginning and must start the whole process from square one.
The 'life' of a pack will be three months (subject to a provision if the house is ( loans ) off the market for sales negotiations); after this period a new up-dated pack will be required. Under these circumstances the speculative sellers who are testing the market will disappear rather than face this new cost; they are likely to decide to stay out of the market. This loss of a seller also means loss of a buyer, and there is concern in some circles that this could reduce labour mobility. Home owners may be reluctant to move to a new job if it means the additional hassle of moving house, with a consequent increase in unemployment.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up your repayments on a mortgage or any debt secured on it. Security by way of a charge on your home may be required.