The Conservative Party is still determined to abolish the Home Information Pack but according to a recent letter received from a Prospective Parliamentary Candidate it will be the Party’s intention to ‘....introduce innovative ways to help home buyers, including speeding up the introduction of e-conveyancing and facilitating more competition in the local authority search market’.
In the same letter sent by an energy assessor in response to concern expressed about the Party’s policy on the HIP and EPC, the PPC advised that the EPC would no longer be required before marketing, with the only condition being that the EPC has to be commissioned before that stage. The PPC put this possible Party decision as following: ‘Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) would be retained, but they would last up to ten years and a home could be put on the market provided an EPC had been commissioned (rather than requiring an EPC to already be in place)’.
No cheer but at least we have a hint of the Party’s future steer on the HIP and the EPC. It’s a shame however that in the run up the election we still do not know for certain when the HIP would go if the Conservatives gain power and whether they would look to keep the HIP in place until the ‘innovative ways to help home buyers’ are put into place. It would also be good to hear whether there are plans to avoid the domestic EPC market turning into the same mess with compliance as witnessed in the commercial sector.
The truth is nobody can make any serious business plans until the election is over, and a clearer picture of the governing party or parties’ policy on matters affecting our industry emerges.
Full Letter:
We will abolish Home Information Packs. However, we will seek to introduce innovative ways to help home buyers, including speeding up the introduction of e-conveyancing and facilitating more competition in the local authority search market). Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) would be retained, but they would last up to ten years and a home could be put on the market provided an EPC had been commissioned (rather than requiring an EPC to already be in place).
EPCs would also support our Green Deal. This will give every household in Britain the right to have home energy efficiency improvements worth up to £6,500. The upfront costs will be privately financed by banks and investment funds; and repaid over a period of up to 25 years through the savings on energy bills. A typical home could see around £20 a month knocked off its bill.
In business, I believe change brings opportunity. You are already well position in the EPC market, and I would hope that the other policies in this field could be areas of expansion for your business.
The lifting of first day marketing restriction for the EPC is somewhat academic. EPCs can be obtained within a day or so & under the Energy Performance of Buildings regulations (separate from HIPs) the agents have to put the rating graphs on their sales details anyway.
ReplyDeleteMany many agents do not comply with putting the EPC graph on the property details. Unless EPC become more prominent is the sales process and are seen as valued information the public's perception of the EPC will continue to be negative. Also many people who have trained as Home Inspectors or DEAs are increasingly finding it difficult to earn a living. I'm a HI and could earn more stacking shelves in Tescos than I am at the moment. There is much talk from all the parties on green jobs and initiatives etc, but in reality very little action on the ground. Whoever gets in anyway is
ReplyDeletegoing to tax people to the hilt, HIPs will probably change by definition but they earn VAT and are now embedded within the industry.
Don't believe what the Tories say, its all bollocks !
This will simply lead to people panicking as exchange / completion looms and the solicitors suddenly realise that they have not got an EPC in place. Then the ripple will go all the way back up the chain to the vendor adding headless chickens all the way. Ultimately someone will contact a DEA and say they need the EPC immediately and we will be expected to jump to it.
ReplyDeleteThe only change in this scenario is that the DEAs are expected to move quickly at the end of the process as opposed to at the beginning!
If the Tory's do make these changes, we should all go on strike and go and stack shelves in Tescos
ReplyDeleteWhat is the HIP policy of the Lib Dems - should we be voting for them (as I really struggle with the idea of voting Labour)
ReplyDeleteQuestion
ReplyDeleteIf incoming government policy requires an EPC at point of exchange (sales), then will the estate agent still be involved in the order process?
Answer
Without question yes. Why? Just look at Lettings.
The government does suggest having an EPC available to show prospective tenants. However, the law states that the EPC has to be in place no later than point of exchange (for lettings). I provide EPCs to over 300 lettings agents in the UK and all of them order the EPC at the earliest point possible, so not to run in to problems further down the line.