Home Information Packs

• Information for Home Buyers (40kb) 
• Information for Home Sellers (32kb) 
• Information for Estate Agents (67kb)
• Information for Solicitors (66kb)
• Information for prospective Home Inspectors (external link)
• Home Information Packs website (external link)

The above information can be viewed as Adobe PDF documents.

Becoming a HIP provider?

Are you ready for HIPs?

We know that HIPs will bring a big change to your business and we want to work with you to help you achieve commercial success in this new conveyancing environment.

From 10^th September 2007, it became mandatory for all sellers of residential property with three or more bedrooms or their estate agents to have a HIP before putting their home up for sale.  HIPs will be rolled-out to other properties in a phased implementation.  But what will the introduction of HIPs really mean for your business? With sellers’ agents and conveyancers all looking to capitalise on HIPs, there are undoubtedly more mouths to feed, but at the same time there are many opportunities for you to turn HIPs to your advantage.  You can become a HIP provider, or become a reseller of HIPs from one of the large HIP compiler companies.

But, whether you’re an estate agent or a solicitor, your choice of search will have an important impact, not only on the buyer of the property, but also on your business.  When you are compiling your HIPs or reviewing a HIP on behalf of a client, please take the following points into consideration:

• What sort of search is in the Pack – an official local authority search or a personal search?
• Does the search rely on indemnity insurance to cover missing information or is it a full local authority search that requires no additional insurance?
• If there is indemnity insurance, when does it expire?  Is this acceptable to the buyer of the property?
• Will the mortgage lender accept the search and if so who will be held liable for missing or inaccurate information?
• If you are a solicitor acting on behalf of a buyer, you have the right to reject the search provided in the HIP
• How will your use of different types of searches impact on your reputation with consumers and other businesses? Will this have an impact on referrals to your company?

We urge you to make sure that there is an official local authority search in your HIPs.  A full council search is the only way to give your clients the full picture about their property and to protect the reputation of your business.

For more information and the very lastest news look at the Home Information Packs website (external link)

Contact Details

Local Land Charges Service

Email - locallandcharges@chester.gov.uk

Opening hours - 9.00am - 4.45pm

Phone - 01244 402585 or 01244 402133 (Voicemail for fees & info)

Fax - 01244 310071

DX - DX 722411 CHESTER 17 - strictly used for Local Land Charges Unit post only.

Address - Local Land Charges, Development Directorate, Chester City Council, The Forum, Chester, CH1 2HS