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Improving Consumer Information in the Home Information Pack

6th January 2009

Last September, we responded to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s consultation paper on ‘Improved Consumer Information in the Home Information Pack’. This consultation proposed the inclusion of a Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) as a required document in the Home Information Pack (HIP) for England and Wales. The PIQ would replace the existing ‘Home Use Form’ which is currently an ‘authorised’ (non-mandatory) document within the HIP.

The aim of the PIQ is to enable consumers to make informed choices on buying a property by giving them information, when they need it, before they have to commit time and money to the purchase of a property. The proposed Property Information Questionnaire would include information that is easy for the seller to provide without professional assistance, such as:

It is not intended for the PIQ to replace the work of property professionals who will still be needed to finalise the purchasing of the property.

We expressed our support for this government initiative because we agree that providing relevant information about a property to prospective buyers in advance will improve the home buying and selling process. However, we had to express our disappointment that, whilst the proposed PIQ included questions about other building works, including compliance with Building Regulations, it did not include any questions relating to Part P or electrical safety. We will therefore continue our efforts to have electrical safety issues adequately recognised in Home Information Packs.

Depending on the analysis of responses and the laying of regulations to implement the changes, the Property Information Questionnaire may have been introduced on 1 January 2009. For further information, visit www.communities.gov.uk.

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