Helping Innovate Property (HIP) – Blog, Housing Market News and Articles

For this article I have decided to write about the debate surrounding the proposal of landlord/letting agent registration and licencing. It’s not a new issue as some parties have been calling for it for a number of years but it raised its head again when the Law Commission made recommendations on buy-to-let reform, tabled in Parliament in mid-August of 2008.

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Steve Davies, CEO of The Association of Independent Personal Search Agents (IPSA) who has joined us to answer some questions in relation to personal and local authority searches.

IPSA have recently released claims that numerous local authorities are providing non-compliant searches, we wanted to hear more about this issue and how IPSA viewed the industry as a whole.

Read the rest of this entry »

Keith Jones operations director of ECMK ltd has kindly obliged to answers a few of our questions in the latest series of interviews with leading HIP and EPC industry figures.

Q 1 NHER produced some great research in relation to non-compliance of Commercial EPCs recently. Do you have any other similar research you are undertaking at present and when could we expect to see the results?

Read the rest of this entry »

Mr Philip Salaman managing director of Quidos has kindly obliged to answers a few of our questions.

Q 1 NHER produced some great research in relation to non-compliance of Commercial EPCs recently. Do you have any other similar research you are undertaking at present and when could we expect to see the results?

We have conducted recent research into commercial buildings EPC compliance in the South West England area. We have very accurate statistics on the number of commercial properties on the market, and we cross referenced that data against the Landmark database. 73% did not have EPC’s.

Read the rest of this entry »

Welcome to Mike Ockenden, Chairman of the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) who has kindly agreed to spread a bit of light on how he sees the past and future of all things HIP related.
Read the rest of this entry »

Anti-social behaviour is a subject close to the hearts of many and it is more complex than it appears on the surface, particularly when it is viewed from the perspective of management. We have recently been faced with the issue of excessive noise created by neighbouring tenants hosting parties and every website I look at says that it is recommended that the neighbours be approached first. I can see some merit in that, as sometimes they genuinely don’t know that they are causing a bit of a disturbance to others and respond accordingly. This is what we always do as the resident management company but what happens when reasonableness doesn’t provide the hoped-for response?

Read the rest of this entry »

Hidden away amidst the depths of the legislation that came into force in October from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has been a clause about Commercial Energy Performance Certificates (CEPC).

The DCLG Guidelines clause is out lined below:-

“Clarifying arrangements for the October roll-out for commercial buildings already on the market which will be similar to those put in place in April and July. This means that any non-domestic building on the market before 1st October and remaining on the market will need an EPC by 1st January at the latest. If it is sold or rented out in the meantime, an EPC must be commissioned and then handed over as soon as is practicable. This measure is intended to make it easier for owners and landlords to comply with the legislation, avoid market fluctuations and is in response to expectations from the industry.”

Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve located the house of your dreams, or should we be more realistic here and say you’ve located a property that ticks some of the boxes and has the ‘feel’ you were hoping for you? It’s true what they say; your gut instinct will tell you if it’s the right one for you. However, our emotions can run riot and cloud our judgements so it is essential to lead with your head and not with your heart.

So you’ve made a decision to put an offer in, but where do you start. How much you want the property will very much dictate that first offer, you may well jump in with both feet and give the vendor exactly what they’re asking for, alternatively, you may opt to play it cool and try your luck with a cheeky offer. In the initial stages you may be tempted to offer the ridiculous but do this with caution as you could end up losing credibility with the agent and ultimately lose the sale.

Before you commit to anything think long and hard, this is one of the biggest decisions you are ever likely to make and the road to purchasing a property can be long, hard and costly!

I’ve pulled together some of my thoughts to aid your ‘hopefully’ successful negotiations:-

First and foremost, do your research, look at similar houses on the market and compare prices, are you getting more or less for your money? If the property needs work, reflect this in your offer and let the Agent know why you’ve done this.

Read the rest of this entry »

Deciding on ‘the’ house is part of our guide to buying your next home and potentially one of the biggest decisions you are ever likely to make. There are a number of factors to consider, this will differ from person to person but there are key themes than run throughout any search be it for a one-bed flat or five-bed detached.

The pessimist in me would automatically say that we all generally want what we can’t have; however is this always the case?

Let’s consider budget, you’ve made an informed decision that you are able to borrow, make the repayments and continue to live a semi-normal life. You have a limit and you should stick to it.

Secondly you’ve pulled together a list of essential and desirable criteria that your new home must meet, this could be 3 bedrooms, separate garage, land to develop or something as simple as a down stairs toilet. You now know exactly what you want so start the search with this in mind.

Read the rest of this entry »

You will have heard of the residential Energy Performance Certificates or EPCs that were instituted last year as part of the Home Information Pack legislation, but did you know that there is a Commercial Energy Performance Certificate that is currently being rolled out?

It is easy to assume that because both the residential and commercial EPC share the same name that they are similar entities and require similar surveys or skills, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is best to think of them as cousins, related in history, but separate families.

When is a Commercial Energy Performance Certificate (CEPC) required? You may not have been aware of it, but Commercial EPCs actually began to roll out this year, coming into force from April 2008. Already all non domestic buildings above 2,500 square metres that are being constructed, sold, major renovations or let will require a CEPC.  By 1st October 2008 this will be rolled out to all remaining commercial properties. As always there are exemptions, such as places of worship, buildings scheduled for demolition or temporary buildings. Anyone involved with any non domestic property should seek expert advice as to whether they need one or not, as there are stringent penalties for non compliance.

Read the rest of this entry »

HIP-Consultant.co.uk’s blog is gaining a modest readership from both industry professionals and the general public a like. Over the coming weeks, months and years we will be opening our doors to guest writers with particular experience, specialism and knowledge in their given field.

We are excited about the prospect and feel it will provide an extra dimension for our readers and an opportunity for our guest writers to showcase and share their expertise.

Read the rest of this entry »