Christie Home Information Packs

Home Information Packs including Energy Performance Certificates will be implemented on a phased basis from the 1st August 2008.

From then Packs will be required for the sale of four bedroom properties and larger, with smaller properties being phased in as soon as sufficient energy assessors are fully qualified.

Until the end of this year, properties can be marketed as soon as a pack is commissioned, and as a temporary measure Energy Performance Certificates can be up to 12 months old when a property is put up for sale.

Sellers: you will need to have a Pack before you put your home onto the market

Buyers: the Pack will offer you essential information about the property you wish to buy, for free.

A Home Information Pack contains:

· An Energy Performance Certificate which tells you how energy efficient the property is

Other compulsory documents, such as an index of contents, a sale statement, searches and evidence of title

· Optional documents, such as the Home Condition Report

What's in a Home Information Pack?

The Home Information Pack contains important information that buyers and sellers need to know. From 10 September 2008, anyone marketing a 3 bedroom property or above, or their representative, will be legally required to have a Home Information Pack and make it available to potential buyers of the property.

For sellers, providing a Pack upfront should reduce the likelihood of any nasty surprises in the selling process that could delay the sale, as buyers will be able to make more informed decisions about purchasing their home.

For buyers, the Pack provides essential information about properties they are considering buying, free of charge.