Some estate agent HIPs are not fit for purpose, says Law Society

1 month ago 07th Oct 09:56

The Law Society is warning of the dangers in not using a solicitor when compiling a Home Information Pack (HIP) after a Trading Standards investigation highlighted serious flaws with estate agents’ HIPs.

Birmingham Trading Standards officers investigated HIPs produced by estate agents and found they contained serious errors, including absent information and inaccurate dates for planning proposals.

Law Society President Paul Marsh says:

“The findings of the trading standards investigation confirm very starkly the concerns the Law Society has been expressing for some time about these cheap packs put together by unqualified and unregulated HIP providers, which are a complete waste of consumers’ money.

“Unregulated providers have not the slightest understanding of the meaning let alone the importance of the documents that go into these packs. Their only concern is to make as much money as possible from the consumer.”

The Law Society has received reports from its members that some estate agents are being paid undisclosed commissions by search companies to include poor quality searches in their HIPs, and the Birmingham Trading Standards investigation seems to confirm that.

Paul Marsh says: “If the pack is to provide any value to the consumer at all it needs to be accurate and contain reliable information. That requires those who compile these packs to understand what they are doing.

More about Some estate agent HIPs are not fit for purpose, says Law Society on page 2