Before HIPs officially came to the market it was thought that most sellers would obtain their HIPs from a HIPs provider accredited by AHIPP. The HIP Code was introduced to deliver quality standards across HIPs providers (sponsored and maintained by AHIPP) and the Search Code was introduced and sponsored by the Council of Property Search Organisations. The information contained within the HIP would be provided up front at the pre-offer stage instead of both parties getting it in bits and pieces between offer and exchange and the information it contained would be relied upon. The Codes would provide protection to the homebuyers. The Property Codes of Compliance Board contained a list of HIP providers that complied with both Codes and all companies that wanted to subscribe to AHIPP were required to have professional indemnity in place.

If you take this as a base from which HIPs was working on I’m sure that not many would find fault. It continues to be consumer led in that Christopher Hamer, the Property Ombudsman has had his remit extended to include HIP and search providers registered with the PCCB.

Consumers have a clear choice in that they can continue to buy from others supplying HIPs packages, they can choose to purchase cheaper packages online, or they can choose to purchase from sites that have more consumer-friendly safeguards built within them.

HIPs is still not perfect because it still needs to make the HCR compulsory (structural defects was another reason for 1 in 4 transactions failing), and build on information provision for leaseholders but I personally feel that it is heading in the right direction.

Regardless of whom comes into power and what they state they are going to do does not address the now situation, lets not assume the conservatives will automatically become the next government. I can recall Labour staing it would abolish Buy to Let, we all know their tactics to win voters. We as an industry need to provide a product which does what it says on the tin.

Consumers are the people who make the decisions, the main Industry responsible for Lending e.g CML need to be at the forefront for any re-modelling of the product “hips”.

I worked closely within this industry at the start and it was clear very early on that a HCR with Valuation was needed, this area has not been addressed in any of the responses. With the lending criteria, affordablility being a major focus area the HCR report is crucial for lenders in making lending decisions. A HCR will also contain the EPC and will go along way to justify the cost of the report and make it meaningful.

The process cannot be speeded up and be truly a ready to go property at exchange without a HCR with Valuation. Too much focus has been on the cost of the Hips as being an additional burden, I have seen nothing to help explain this in layman terms to consumers. If this had been done they would be able to see that comparing costs prior to hips and reviewing their conveyancing costs now that they are actually saving time and money.

Consumers want two things, they want to move house and want information that they can understand at a reasonable cost to make informed decisions.

Lenders are going back to their roots and will not make quick decisons driven by computers and basic credit scoring, the property and its repair and running costs will be needed before giving an approval in principle.

The industry has had sufficient time to improve upon the product over the last few years.The failing has been in managing the project and losing focus of the objective.As usual too many political egos has resulted in the consumer left being confused.

Too many estate agents anti hips have made too much money out of hips and full disclosure should be made when taking instructions from clients as to how much they are earning from the product.

I would like to ask for this information being made available within the pack disclosure.

I am disgusted from working with agents, working for a reputable agent and mystery shopping them as to their lack of understanding of the whole issue, consumers deserve better.

I would like the HIP industry improved with a new set of values and objectives set to take into consideration the fundamental changes that have happened within the finance industry which surely has to be addressed by any party in power.

The Councils make it hard enough for personal search companies trying to make an honest living so lets work together to drive out the cowboys and give the rest of us a chance

If you have been in the industry you will know that the Councils often get it wrong and that a responsible personal search agent is not only quicker and more accurate but often cheaper than the council, which has to be good for the consumer

Please help us and name this Company so that we can help and add pressure on the regulators to sort out this company

Shapps must surely realise that should he make HIPs optional too then the demand for HIPs will be the same as the demand for HCR’s – practically ZERO.

An incoming Tory government have a real and unique opportunity to drive forward and influence the buying & selling process in the UK and make positive inroads in achieving a viable low carbon economy. The Institute of Domestic Energy Assessors (IDEA) are keen to work with the Tories to achieve these goals and ensure that the EPC remains an intrinsic element of this process. The current Labour government have made a complete hash of the HIP roll out and have treated both home inspectors and energy assessors abysmally.

The Tories have a real opportunity here both to do the right thing and redress the balance; let’s hope they don’t waste it!