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Improving consumer information in the Home Information Pack
15th April 2009
In the winter issue of Switched On, we reported on our response to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s consultation paper entitled ‘Improved Consumer Information in the Home Information Pack’.
The paper proposed the inclusion of a ‘Property Information Questionnaire’ (PIQ) as a required document in the Home Information Pack (HIP). The PIQ would replace the existing ‘Home Use Form’ which is currently an authorised document in the HIP.
The purpose of the PIQ is to help consumers to make informed choices about buying a property by giving them information, when they want it, before they have committed time and money to the purchase of the property.
Whilst expressing our general support for this initiative, we voiced our surprise and concern that the proposed PIQ did not include any questions relating to electrical safety or to Part P.
At the end of last year, following the consultation, Housing Minister Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP announced that the Property Information Questionnaire would become a mandatory part of the HIP for all properties put on the market from 6 April.
We are pleased to report that the PIQ now includes an electrical question for the seller to answer, as shown.
Whilst a small victory, we feel it is a significant achievement for our electrical safety campaigning.
For full details about the Property Information Questionnaire, visit: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/ housing/propertyinformationquestionnaire
