Law Society says HIPs will cause chaos

Yesterday’s announcement by the DCLG shows an unconvincing last-minute attempt to save HIPs, says the English Law Society. Paul Marsh, Law Society Deputy Vice President, says: “The Government’s ill- thought out plans will leave the already volatile housing market in a state of chaos on June 1st. With only 80 days left for implementation they have launched a consultation aimed at sorting out key problems, such as searches and leasehold property that should have been addressed much earlier. This all comes too late”.“The problems that have come out of the dry run are issues which the Government have been persistently warned about by the Law Society, and others knowledgeable about the house buying process, over the last three and half years. What a shame they didn’t listen to us earlier. They could have saved millions of pounds worth of taxpayers money” says Marsh. The seller will be even more confused now about the contents of their HIP and unsure of what they need to provide on the first day of marketing to avoid a fine.  It seems that the government is using the fig leaf of the Energy Performance Certificate to cover up the shortcomings in the HIP” says Marsh.