16th March - Domestic Energy Assessment accreditation

Today, the deadline for companies seeking to become accredited assessment centres for training and certifying domestic energy assessors (DEA’s) was reached.

Until now, only companies that were certified for Home Inspection training were qualified to train assessors, but this new scheme will broaden the number of companies that can now offer this training. The demand for assessors is high, and is expected that the number of centres will grow significantly.

Click here for more information on the scheme.

Click image for more information

2nd March - In-house HIP training now available

As the deadline for the introduction of HIPs draws closer, the interest in practical HIP training has been overwhelming. The Partnership has launched an in-house training programme designed to meet the needs of estate agents and solicitors.

Understanding that external courses often mean an entire day spent out of the office, The Partnership courses are run in-house, providing pragmatic and usable instruction on managing the introduction of HIPs.

Click here for more information on our training course.

Click image for more training information

15th February - Consumer marketing begins

Once more, earlier than expected, the government has given a clear indication of its commitment to the introduction of HIPs. It has been announced that the consumer marketing campaign for HIPs is planned to start in the coming weeks.

Targeting a range of towns including Bristol, Manchester, Exeter, Leicester, Nottingham and Plymouth, the initial campaign is due to start at then end of February with radio and local press advertising.

Click here for The Partnership press release.

Click image for other Partnership press releases

26th January - Adjustment to HIP introduction

Although somewhat earlier than expected, the government has announced a consultation paper on alterations to the HIP programme, based on feedback from the trials and industry.

The announcement reaffirms the government’s commitment to the 1st June as a launch date for HIPs. The most important changes surround the marketing of properties, which will now be allowed once the title deeds, sale statement and the Energy Performance Certificate have been obtained.

Click here for the announcement, here for the consultation paper or here for a summary of changes.

Click image for summary of changes announced

9th January - 100 working days until HIPs

A major milestone has been reached with the announcement that there are only 100 working days left until the introduction of HIPs in June this year.

With June only a few months away, there has been a significant increase in the level of activity amongst estate agents investigating potential HIP suppliers. HIP providers and component suppliers are all reporting what appears to be an acceptance amongst agents of the inevitability of HIPs who are now looking to prepare for their introduction.

The Partnership is working with agents preparing to run trials to ensure that all the processes are in place and their staff are aware of how the instruction process will work.

Click here for the press release from The Partnership.

Click image for other Partnership press releases

20th December - Additional NLIS channel awarded

The consolidation of the electronic property search market over the past year has meant that currently there are only two channels offering the electronic National Land Information Service (NLIS) local authority searches.

The organisation behind NLIS, The Council for the National Land Information Service, has always publicly expressed its desire to expand the number of channels beyond MDA and TM, the two companies currently offering this service.

It has now been announced that Jordans has been awarded the contract as an NLIS supplier, bringing the current number to three channels, and expects to go live in March 2007.

Click here for the press release.

Click image for the Jordans website

19th December - Petition for mandatory HCR

The recent introduction of the new E-Petitions whereby people can petition the government on any matter has created the opportunity in the Home Information Pack market.

Following the announcement in July that Home Condition Reports (HCRs) are to be made voluntary, there have been a number of campaigns to promote their compulsory introduction.

However, this new initiative has enabled those involved in promoting HCRs to lobby the government to set a date for their mandatory introduction.

Click here for details of the e-petition.

29th November - RICS approved for regulation

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has announced that it has received government approval to provide a regulatory service for Home Inspectors (HIs).

This means that RICS will now be able to offer support services to their members who wish to qualify as Home Inspectors, including insurance, lifelong learning and complaints handling.

Along with SAVA, there are now two competing certification schemes, and with BRE soon to announce their plans, it is likely that these three organisations will be the dominant certification bodies.

Click here for the announcement

Click image for press release

14th December - BRE approved for regulation

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has announced that it is the third organisation to received government approval to operate of certification scheme for Home Inspectors.

Along with SAVA and RICS, BRE can now offer certification services along with technical support for inspectors both looking for assessments and for lodging completed reports with them.

Click here for the press release.

Click image for press release

6th November - Regional Area Trials start

As expected, the government has launched its regional trials for testing Home Information Packs. Although originally planned just to test the systems for processing HIPs, the trials have now been extended to test consumer awareness and acceptance.

Click here for more details on the trials in Bath, Cambridge, Huddersfield, Newcastle, Northampton and Southampton.

1st November - MDA to buy Quest Associates

MDA, who own SearchFlow, the search provider for The Partnership, has entered into an agreement, subject to regulatory approval, to acquire Quest Associates.

Following the acquisition of Xit2 earlier this year, this means that MDA now own the two major suppliers of survey distribution software and solidifies the company’s position as the leading software provider to the Home Information Pack market.

Click here for the press release

Click image for press release

29th October - Dry Run “Area Trials” Locations

The DCLG has confirmed in more detail the areas in which with Dry Run, or “Area Trials” as they are now called, will be run. They are limited to the central postcodes of Bath, Cambridge, Huddersfield, Newcastle, Northampton and Southampton.

Those companies such as The Partnership, participating in the trials, will be listed on a new government website, enabling sellers living in the centre of the towns to contact a provider. Several thousand sellers will be entitled to free or subsidised HIPs.

20th October - HIP Code of Practice Published

The Property Codes Compliance Board has announced that it has published a code of professional practice for HIP providers to ensure that quality levels are maintained amongst the industry.

This initiative serves to address some of the concerns of those in the property industry that the HIP business is totally unregulated, and will go some way to ensure that consumers can identify which suppliers are committed to providing professional levels of service.

Click here for details of the HIP code

Click image for details of the HIP code

16th October - Draft NOS standards published

AssetSkills, the organisation responsible for publishing the National Occupation Skills (NOS) have released an initial draft of the qualification for Energy Inspectors, due to be finalised early in 2007.

The strict requirements in the draft document appears to counter many of the fears of trainee home inspectors that this new qualification would open up the market to a much broader base and erode their earning potential.

Click here for a link to the documentation.

Click image to download draft regulations

10th October - Government confirms free HIPs

As part of their Dry Run, the government has confirmed that a number of HIPs will be made available for free as part of their initiative to test their introduction.

The Housing Minister, Yvette Cooper, announcing the launch of one of the schemes in Bath, said, “It’s vital that we test them properly “on the ground” so consumers get the best product possible”

Click here for details of the rollout of events

Click image for press release on Bath trials

3rd October - Energy ratings for large properties

The Building Research Establishment, (BRE) has announced that the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) for calculating the energy ratings of dwellings has been extended to cover larger buildings.

This addresses a concern for agents selling properties over 450m2 (approx 4000 sq ft) as previously, the calculation method could not be used. Currently, the alternate SBEM method was the only method suitable for such properties but the change makes the process more straightforward.

The new version is expected from November 2006.

Click image for SAP website

21st September - Dry Run details announcement

Concern in the industry and the trade press that the government was about to make another change to the HIP programme proved unfounded with the latest announcement from the DCLG..

As expected, the announcement focussed on how the Dry Run will be rolled out, the qualification for home inspectors for energy performance certificate work, the awarding of the contract for the Home Condition Report register and a £4m budget for assisting the promotion of the Dry Run.

In addition, a new project timetable has been produced showing revised deadlines. Click here to download.

Click here for the official announcement.

Click image for announcement

15th September - Early adopter list grows 20%

Despite media reports of the HIP industry abandoning the scheme, government figures reveal that the number of companies registering as Early Adopters for the HIP Dry Run has increased 20% since August.

Figures from the DCLG show that 66 firms, up from 53 last month, have formally registered as early adopters, providing monthly consumer feedback on the HIPs they produce and are willing to participate in the Dry Run. This represents 40% of companies who originally expressed a passing interest in the scheme a year ago, are now committing further to the future.

Click here for the official list of Dry Run participants.

Click image for list of participants

11th August - AHIPP confirms early rollout of HIPs

The Association of HIP Providers (AHIPP) has announced that it is continuing to promote its early rollout of HIPs.

In a move that underlines the confidence of the industry in the future of HIPs that include a Home Condition Report, the Association has identified 6 locations around the country where they will be working with their members to promote the use of HIPs.

The announcement also clarified the position of this scheme which is independent of the Government’s “Dry Run” due later this year.

Click here for more information, or visit their website.

Click image for press release

26th July - RightMove Exits the HIPs market

RightMove (www.rightmove.co.uk) has taken the decision that with HCRs being voluntary, their business model for HIPs is no longer sustainable and have decided not to invest any further in the HIP market.

Having invested over £7m already and planning to invest up to £22m in the programme, the reduced margins they could expect and the implications for their shareholders forced the company to take this difficult decision.

Click image for BBC story

18th July - Home Condition Reports made voluntary

The government has announced major changes to the HIP programme.

Initially, Home Condition Reports are to be made voluntary, and the 14 day time limit before a property can be marketed has been suspended for the dry run.

Whilst Energy Performance Certificates are mandatory, it is unclear the impact that this will have on the entire scheme. 

The DCLG press release can be downloaded here and the Partnership release here

Click image for press release

29th June - CML report shows support for HIPs

In a clear sign of the change in attitudes towards HIPs, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has published a new report showing that lenders are happy to support the use of Home Information Packs.

The report, available here indicates that lenders will offer some support for HIPs and marks a critical shift in attitude towards their introduction.

Click image for report

14th June - Home Information Pack Regulations Published

The regulations outlining the contents of Home Information Packs have been published after months of reviewing the feedback from the industry.

There have been some changes to the contents of the packs, as well as closing a legal loophole that could have been exploited by people trying to avoid producing HIPs for their property.

Click here for press release or here for the details

Click image for HIP regulations

23rd May - Report on number of inspectors required

One of the concerns raised about the introduction of HIPs is the number of qualified Home Inspectors that will be required and available.

Initial estimates were that about 7500 would be needed, but in a new report by the DCLG, more accurate estimates have been produced. The range now starts from about 5000 inspectors but include certain assumptions about part-time versus full time-working.

Click here for the report

Click image for report

22nd May - MDA Acquires xit2

In a move that underlines the rapidly maturing market, MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) have acquired xit2, one of the leading software providers for Home Inspection management and Home Condition Report generation.

The deal, worth over £10m, serves to increase further MDA’s role in the provision of Home Information Pack infrastructure and support. This, when combined with the acquisition earlier in the year of SearchFlow, puts MDA in a very strong position.

Click here for the press release.

Click image for press release

17th May - The Partnership provides content for CLT

We were pleased to be asked to provide course content for Central Law Training, (CLT) one of the most prestigious and respected legal training firms on the market.

As Janet Baker of CLT explains, “The pilot schemes which The Partnership Limited have been running have been of interest to conveyancers on CLT's HIPs series and have given many of them some inspiration to suggest using HIPs ahead of the June 2007, particularly where property may have been on the market for some time. It is clear from these pilots that a HIP can be means of stimulating fresh interest and securing an early exchange of contracts. I am grateful to The Partnership for sharing their experience with us”.

Click image for CLT website

10th May - HIP for unregistered property

Highlighting one of the main concerns of agents and solicitors, the Partnership has successfully delivered one of the first known HIPs for an unregistered property.

As Peter Ambrose, director of The Partnership explained; “unregistered properties are problematic for most HIP providers so we were pleased with the successful outcome of this complex issue”.

For more information please contact us

8th May - ODPM renamed with a new leader

As part of the cabinet reshuffle that took place on May 5th, the ODPM has been renamed as the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Although there is a new head of the department, the former education secretary, Ruth Kelly, the HIP implementation team has stayed intact with Yvette Cooper staying as the housing minister.

Click here for the DCLG homepage

28th April - ASDA announces free HIPs

In a move that underscores consumer awareness of HIPs, the BBC has reported that ASDA has announced it will start to sell properties from their supermarkets. This appears to be in response to an announcement from Tesco to offer the same service.

However, in an extremely surprising move, ASDA has also promised its customers a free HIP with every property and will be starting trials in Sunderland in the summer. Details are yet to be published, but this may prove a challenge for the mainstream HIP market.

Click image for BBC article

17th April - Relationship with Network Surveyors

As we continue to select the most effective and proven partners, we are delighted to announce that we are working with Network Surveyors for the provision of home inspectors.

Part of Network Data, one of the largest mortgage networks in the country, Network Surveyors is headed by Jon Steward, an experienced practitioner of high quality services for the surveying market. With a background from Wolton’s Surveyors, Jon brings a high level of commitment and professionalism and offers The Partnership the benefit of his many years of experience.

Click here for more information and background

7th April - ODPM launches industry promotion

The ODPM has launched the first of two major initiatives to promote the use of Home Information Packs. This first programme is designed to increase awareness in the property industry, but also serves as a background information for consumers. The second initiative, due later this year will be focussed purely on promotion to consumers. In a press release, the ODPM has also outlined the levels of activity currently underway in the market.

Click here for more information and background

Click image for ODPM website

16th March - ODPM Publishes timeline

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has published the timeline that outlines the expected rollout of Home Information Pack project. It clearly details the steps that will be taken over the coming year towards implementation and answers critics who have been requesting this information. 

More details are available on our timeline page, or click here to download project chart

Click image to download release

8th March - The Partnership at Homebuyers Show (17/3-19/3, London)

In recognition of our work with more complex properties, including leasehold, The Partnership has been invited to present at a seminar at the annual Homebuyers Show held on the 17-19 March at Excel in London. Attendance is expected to be strong at the show and several seminars will be taking place, where The Partnership will be discussing the challenges that leasehold properties present to HIP suppliers.

Click logo for website

3rd March - Home Inspector Certification Scheme

As the legislation continues to move forward, the government has published a paper enabling companies to run certification schemes for Home Inspectors. The duty of care on those organisations is clearly outlined, along with the responsibility for providing redress and complaints procedures for and against Home Inspectors. It is made clear in the paper that private companies will be able to offer this service, and companies have started the bidding process for this work.

Click image to download paper or here for the ODPM website

20th February - Tonight With Trevor McDonald - Positive Review

A documentary on Home Information Packs shown on ITV1 was very balanced. In particular Maria Coleman and Yvette Cooper displayed the very clear benefits that will be derived from their introduction. Overall, it was clear that the programme seemed to favour HIPs.  It concluded with the interviewer agreeing enabling first time buyers to avoid the expense and risk of buying their first home was a positive step forward.

10th February - First London leasehold HIP completed successfully

The Partnership is pleased to announce that we have successfully completed one of the first leasehold HIPs for a large London flat. One of the key issues that it raised was the importance of the role of the solicitor in such transactions. It also enables us to provide validated feedback to the ODPM and helps our preparations for the leasehold initiative that we will be announcing later in the year.

8th January - First HIP Property Exchanges

The property for which one of the first complete HIPs in England was produced has exchanged. In only a matter of weeks after the HIP was delivered, the property, which had been on the market since the summer, successfully exchanged. The premier estate agent responsible for the sale noted that the home condition report successfully overcame a key buyer objection about the property.

7th December 2005 - New edition of Progress

As part of the ODPM’s commitment to providing Home Information Pack providers with information about the progression of the scheme, they have now published the second edition of their newsletter. 

It is noted that the ODPM has adopted a new colour scheme and that there are some interesting comments about the dry run and how it has already started. With The Partnership at the forefront of this project, we are pleased to see such encouragement.

Click image to download newsletter

17th November 2005 - ODPM publishes “Go Live” date 

In an announcement that was somewhat earlier than expected, the ODPM has confirmed that Home Information Packs will become obligatory for all new house sales from 1st June 2007. Whilst there has been some negative reaction from some stakeholders such as the Law Society it was important that the date was published for all parties involved to firm up their business planning.

Click here for the announcement

Click image for details

8th November 2005 - ODPM publishes guidance for regulations

Following the publication of the regulations for the Home Information Packs on 31st October (see below) the government has now published guidelines to assist with their interpretation. Whist the regulations themselves were quite lengthy, the guidance notes are even longer. 

Under the legislation tab, there are interactive versions of the Housing Act and these regulations.

Click image for regulations

1st November 2005 - The Partnership takes additional offices

As the Home Information Pack business picks up and more estate agents are actively investigating how they will work in practice, The Partnership has invested in additional, office space to add to our central London address. These provide significant capacity for future growth, along with meeting rooms for our clients.

Click image for location

31st October 2005 - ODPM Publishes the consultation paper

The long awaited consultation paper on the contents of the Home Information Packs has finally been published and has been widely reported in both The Times and The Daily Mail. This was one of the major concerns of all those involved in the creation of HIPs, and this information is welcomed.

It is disappointing to see that it has not proved possible for the Law Society to reach agreement with the ODPM to grant them the use of copyright on the standard forms for sellers property information and fixtures and fittings. Clearly, the documents have been redrafted so as to avoid any any potential copyright conflicts with the Law Society, but this does mean that solicitors are going to have get used to a totally different set of forms.

Click here for more information

21st September 2005 - OFT reviews costs of searches

The pricing of one of the key constituents of a HIP, the local authority searches, differ widely in price. It is encouraging to see that this issue has been formally identified by the OFT as being an issue which should be addressed. It was even more encouraging to see this reported as headline news on the BBC website clearly demonstrating the HIPs are becoming more mainstream news.

The Law Society Gazette stresses the importance of high quality searches, and warns about the implications of local authorities restricting access to personal search agents.