Common questions

• Do I need a Home Information Pack (HIP)?
• How do I get a HIP?
• What happens once I have commissioned LMS to provide my HIP?
• When can I start to market my property for sale?
• Does the HIP expire?
• How can buyers get my HIP?
• How can I find out more?

Yes - you need a Home Information Pack (HIP) if you plan to sell a residential property in England or Wales. You must have a HIP in place before you put your property on the market - there are very few exceptions to this.

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Call Legal Marketing Services Ltd (LMS) on 0845 075 7320.

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LMS collect and prepare all the documents. They will also arrange for an energy assessor to visit your property - to complete the Energy Performance Certificate.

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Immediately, once you've got your HIP.

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No - while the property remains on the market, the HIP is valid.

However, you need to make sure that some documents within the HIP are under three months old when marketing of the property starts. The Energy Performance Certificate can't be over three years old at the point of putting your home on the market.

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Buyers should get in touch with you or the advertising estate agent (where the HIP will be available online). If you're providing the HIP directly, you can't make a charge. However, estate agents can charge prospective buyers for copying, posting and packaging.

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The UK government has produced a website with useful information on HIPs.

• HIPs website from the UK government

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