Tories fail to stop Home Information Packs

5:52pm Wednesday 16th May 2007

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By Claire Fry »

THE controversial Home Information Packs have taken another step closer to becoming compulsory today after the Conservatives failed in their bid to block the scheme.

The Government hopes the packs, knowns as HIPs, will cut the number of house sales falling through at the last minute, and, at the same time, encourage homeowners to cut their energy consumption.

Today the Tories' bid to block the scheme was defeated in the House of Commons by 234 votes to 306, but the plan still faces a challenge in the House of Lords next week.

If it survives that challenge home sellers will be required to provide the packs from Friday, June 1.

HIPs contain information about the property as well as the building's energy performance certificate.

But critics claim the packs, costing £400 to £600 each, will deliver few benefits to consumers and will add to the cost of selling a home.

James Edwards, director of Town and Country estate agents in Foregate Street, Worcester said he was not surprised that the Tories' bid to block the scheme had failed.

Mr Edwards said: "It is ill thought-out legislation. The only reason it is being brought in is purely to satisfy European directives that the UK will have to make information about the energy efficiency of homes available by 2010 to the EU. To do that they have to measure the home efficiency, which will be on the HIPS forms.

"But I do believe now this is happening in two weeks time I don't honestly think there will be any adverse effect on the housing market. I think we will be looking at a rise in costs of about £150 on house moving. It will be a pain but we will just have to get on and do it."