The vast majority of sellers will need to have a HIP prepared.

However, there are a few exceptions such as:

• Private sales (e.g. to members of the family, neighbours or
  friends where the property is not offered for sale to the general
  public)
• Tenanted sales where the property is not offered with vacant
  possession.

If you put your 4-bed (or bigger) property on the market before
1st August 2007, or 3-bed from 10th September 2007 and for everything
else from 14th December 2007, you will not need to have a HIP prepared until the government announces that they are compulsory in these circumstances.

An Energy Performance Certificate is a report that tells you how energy efficient your house is. Clearly it costs more to heat some houses of the same size and type than others and this can be for a variety of reasons. Your house may, for example, have better loft insulation and draught proofing than your neighbour’s because you have invested more to make it energy efficient.

The government is committed to comply with EU Directive 2002/91/EC which aims to promote improvements in the energy performance of buildings. Domestic energy consumption causes 25% of national CO2 emissions, and heating uses 90% of energy in the home. Improvements in the energy efficiency of our homes are important in reducing our overall emissions.

Energy Performance Certificates detail the costs of heating, hot water and lighting in homes and give practical advice on how to cut these costs and reduce emissions.

An Energy Performance Certificate is obtained by having a qualified Energy Assessor (a new type of surveyor) inspect your home.

We estimate that Energy Performance Certificates will cost between £100 and £200 depending on the size and type of the property being inspected. MovingAhead will be pleased to provide you with a quote on request.

The Energy Savings Trust estimates that by following the proposals in the Energy Performance Certificate, the average homeowner could save £300 a year on fuel bills.

It’s a new type of ‘mid range’ survey similar to the current ‘Homebuyers' Survey and Valuation Report’ but without the valuation. It should classify all the main elements of the property (roof, walls, foundations etc.) as follows:

• 1 - Good condition
• 2 - In need of repair
• 3 - Seriously defective

As a result, the findings of this new type of survey should be clear, concise and easy to understand.

We think so, yes.

Having a Home Condition Report done at the start will help to reduce the chances of a buyer pulling out later on after the conveyancing is under way. By that time any other interested buyers may have drifted away and lost interest which means that you would be back to square one.

Opting to include a Home Condition Report in your HIP will give you a competitive advantage and make your property stand out. It could also dramatically speed up the sale of your home and minimise delays.

Yes, as the reports will be truly independent, Home Condition Reports can be legally relied on by the buyer.

Only Inspectors regulated by the Government will be able to prepare Home Condition Reports and schemes have been put in place to guarantee that their performance is monitored and that their work is of the required standard. Inspectors will also need to have suitable insurance.

We estimate that Home Condition Reports will cost between £500 and £1,000 depending on the size and type of the property being inspected. MovingAhead will be pleased to quote you on request.

No. It is now generally accepted that valuations vary according to personal opinion and experience and can change very quickly. In most cases estate agents should have a better knowledge of the local area and market than surveyors and be in the best position to advise sellers on value.

No - there will be no requirement for sellers to renew Home Condition Reports. Surveys only provide a “snapshot” of the condition of properties at the time they are inspected. As the Home Condition Report will not contain a valuation it should remain valid indefinitely.