Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 July 2008, 11:09:08

Title: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 July 2008, 11:09:08
Just had the guy round to do the environmental assesment on the house for the HIP.

What a right load of government 'dangle berries'!

1) They dont actually make any calculations against your house, they cant consider cavity wall insulation or floor insulation etc as the software just works off the building regs at the time of construction!

2) The searches carried out are useless, only the water search is of any use legally, the rest all have to be re-done by the solicitor.

Whats more is nobody looks at the bloody reports anyway!

So, 300 quid for absolutley bloody nothing!
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: mantahatch on 30 July 2008, 11:13:47
Friend of mine who is selling his deceased parents house has refused to have one done.
He says when he gets a confirmed offer as is about sign on the dotted line then he will get it done, as apparently they don't last very long !!

Mike
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Kevin Wood on 30 July 2008, 11:18:31
Mate of mine is a surveyor and he says the same thing. Total waste of paper. >:(

Unfortunately that's what happens when a load of ministers think they know best.

Kevin
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 July 2008, 11:19:53
Quote
Friend of mine who is selling his deceased parents house has refused to have one done.
He says when he gets a confirmed offer as is about sign on the dotted line then he will get it done, as apparently they don't last very long !!

Mike


Its illegal to market a house without one....even a sign in the window counts as marketing.

They are valid for upto 1 year and as long as the property is marketed.
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: psychnurse on 30 July 2008, 11:29:30
Yep... What a waste! A waste of time and money. I dont see the use of it at all!

And where does the 300 notes end up?  ::) >:(
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: ians on 30 July 2008, 11:39:44
I can see the value of a proper environmental survey,  but not why this has to be legislated for.    

A friend ended up buying a house that we looked at and considered buying.  Turns out he has to get his oil filled up once a month :o as the house is so poorly insulated.  

However as with most things legislated for , the absolute minimum seems to be done - what happens if you upgrade insulation beyond the then current building regs?  Not count for anything?
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 July 2008, 11:48:15
Quote
I can see the value of a proper environmental survey,  but not why this has to be legislated for.    

A friend ended up buying a house that we looked at and considered buying.  Turns out he has to get his oil filled up once a month :o as the house is so poorly insulated.  

However as with most things legislated for , the absolute minimum seems to be done - what happens if you upgrade insulation beyond the then current building regs?  Not count for anything?

Nope.

My house for example was built and marketed as a high efficincy house with insulated floors, wall insulation which meets the latest specs etc......and none of it can be taken into account because it is above and beyond the building regs as of 1994!
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Andy B on 30 July 2008, 11:50:53
Not a complete waste of time if you want to re-evaluate council tax bands ........ Sorry being cynical again!

Now I know that the Daily Mail does tend to bblow things all out of propartion but i think they're probably right.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1039740/Could-filling-HIP-council-tax.html
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Debs. on 30 July 2008, 11:54:29
Quote
Not a complete waste of time if you want to re-evaluate council tax bands ........ Sorry being cynical again!

Now I know that the Daily Mail does tend to bblow things all out of propartion but i think they're probably right.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1039740/Could-filling-HIP-council-tax.html

What, 'Das Mail'; surely not! ;D
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: mantahatch on 30 July 2008, 12:11:19
Quote
Quote
Friend of mine who is selling his deceased parents house has refused to have one done.
He says when he gets a confirmed offer as is about sign on the dotted line then he will get it done, as apparently they don't last very long !!

Mike


Its illegal to market a house without one....even a sign in the window counts as marketing.

They are valid for upto 1 year and as long as the property is marketed.

Can only tell you what he told me. Also if only valid for 1 year, that is not much with some houses round my way having been on the market for 3 years plus without any signs of selling.

Mike
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 July 2008, 12:12:47
Quote
Quote
Quote
Friend of mine who is selling his deceased parents house has refused to have one done.
He says when he gets a confirmed offer as is about sign on the dotted line then he will get it done, as apparently they don't last very long !!

Mike


Its illegal to market a house without one....even a sign in the window counts as marketing.

They are valid for upto 1 year and as long as the property is marketed.

Can only tell you what he told me. Also if only valid for 1 year, that is not much with some houses round my way having been on the market for 3 years plus without any signs of selling.

Mike

There over priced then.....if they have been continuously marketed then they dont need HIPs as they fall before the HIP requirement date.
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: mantahatch on 30 July 2008, 12:25:41
Quote
Quote
Quote
Quote
Friend of mine who is selling his deceased parents house has refused to have one done.
He says when he gets a confirmed offer as is about sign on the dotted line then he will get it done, as apparently they don't last very long !!

Mike


Its illegal to market a house without one....even a sign in the window counts as marketing.

They are valid for upto 1 year and as long as the property is marketed.

Can only tell you what he told me. Also if only valid for 1 year, that is not much with some houses round my way having been on the market for 3 years plus without any signs of selling.

Mike

There over priced then.....if they have been continuously marketed then they dont need HIPs as they fall before the HIP requirement date.

I would suggest they are well overpriced, thing is up to 3 years ago they where selling for these ridiculous prices.
I live in a small close in a row of 3 identical bungalows. in 1997 I paid £80,000 for mine, today my neighbours house is on the market for £374,950  :o All he has done to it is small rear extension. No wonder he can't sell it eh.
If he halved the price I would say that would be more realistic.

Mike
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Chally on 30 July 2008, 12:40:08
When I bought my house of my parents I was told that the wall ties in the back of the property needed doing everything else was okay, strange thing is though when my parents had a survey done they were told the front of the property needed doing. So to my reckoning the house has mysteriously shifted during the night and corrected the problem and whilst doing that had also pulled all the other houses in the row level to componsate  :-? Like its been said its just a bit of paper to make a bit extra money  >:(
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: HolyCount on 30 July 2008, 13:38:04
Quote
Not a complete waste of time if you want to re-evaluate council tax bands ........ Sorry being cynical again!

Now I know that the Daily Mail does tend to bblow things all out of propartion but i think they're probably right.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1039740/Could-filling-HIP-council-tax.html

HIPs are a total waste of time and money --- and that report in the Mail is total b*ll*cks!

Current council tax legislation ( brought in by Maggie -- not Gordon) is such that improvments to the dwelling cannot be taken into account for council tax banding until such time as the property is sold. Any improovements listed on a HIPs form would already be known to the relevant departments because they will have had either planning or Building regs intervention at some point. Those small inprovements that fall below the scope of planning or Building regs will probably not have that much of an effect on the property value anyway.

'Tis all there on the Valuation Office website
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 30 July 2008, 14:10:04
Quote
Just had the guy round to do the environmental assesment on the house for the HIP.

What a right load of government 'dangle berries'!

1) They dont actually make any calculations against your house, they cant consider cavity wall insulation or floor insulation etc as the software just works off the building regs at the time of construction!

2) The searches carried out are useless, only the water search is of any use legally, the rest all have to be re-done by the solicitor.

Whats more is nobody looks at the bloody reports anyway!

So, 300 quid for absolutley bloody nothing!

Not quite.......in about a weeks time, you will get a nice brochure with an energy rating bar chart (like the ones on electrical equipment) that looks quite pretty.

And its a fascinating 5 minute read  :y

Well worth it imo  :y .......................












I paid £300 a few months back, so know what a waste it really is and according to my agent he's never had a buyer ask to look at one  >:( >:(
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: stuart30 on 30 July 2008, 14:15:13
Quote
Just had the guy round to do the environmental assesment on the house for the HIP.

What a right load of government 'dangle berries'!

1) They dont actually make any calculations against your house, they cant consider cavity wall insulation or floor insulation etc as the software just works off the building regs at the time of construction!

2) The searches carried out are useless, only the water search is of any use legally, the rest all have to be re-done by the solicitor.

Whats more is nobody looks at the bloody reports anyway!

So, 300 quid for absolutley bloody nothing!

How much....christ ive just got a bill for my HIPS £450 and the guy who does the environmental assessment (who just turned up one day unannounced) found it highly amusing that we had a pile of energy light bulbs on kitchen table waiting too be fitted...complete tossers.

Oh and im not even selling the damn house now..... >:(


Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 July 2008, 14:22:01
Quote
Quote
Just had the guy round to do the environmental assesment on the house for the HIP.

What a right load of government 'dangle berries'!

1) They dont actually make any calculations against your house, they cant consider cavity wall insulation or floor insulation etc as the software just works off the building regs at the time of construction!

2) The searches carried out are useless, only the water search is of any use legally, the rest all have to be re-done by the solicitor.

Whats more is nobody looks at the bloody reports anyway!

So, 300 quid for absolutley bloody nothing!

How much....christ ive just got a bill for my HIPS £450 and the guy who does the environmental assessment (who just turned up one day unannounced) found it highly amusing that we had a pile of energy light bulbs on kitchen table waiting too be fitted...complete tossers.

Oh and im not even selling the darn house now..... >:(



You were done, I could have got it for 50 quid less but was not impressed by the chap who was doing the work so paid the extra!
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: HolyCount on 30 July 2008, 14:24:01
Quote
Quote
Quote
Just had the guy round to do the environmental assesment on the house for the HIP.

What a right load of government 'dangle berries'!

1) They dont actually make any calculations against your house, they cant consider cavity wall insulation or floor insulation etc as the software just works off the building regs at the time of construction!

2) The searches carried out are useless, only the water search is of any use legally, the rest all have to be re-done by the solicitor.

Whats more is nobody looks at the bloody reports anyway!

So, 300 quid for absolutley bloody nothing!

How much....christ ive just got a bill for my HIPS £450 and the guy who does the environmental assessment (who just turned up one day unannounced) found it highly amusing that we had a pile of energy light bulbs on kitchen table waiting too be fitted...complete tossers.

Oh and im not even selling the darn house now..... >:(



You were done, I could have got it for 50 quid less but was not impressed by the chap who was doing the work so paid the extra!

Everybody is being done !!!
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 30 July 2008, 19:34:51
Quote
Quote
Quote
Just had the guy round to do the environmental assesment on the house for the HIP.

What a right load of government 'dangle berries'!

1) They dont actually make any calculations against your house, they cant consider cavity wall insulation or floor insulation etc as the software just works off the building regs at the time of construction!

2) The searches carried out are useless, only the water search is of any use legally, the rest all have to be re-done by the solicitor.

Whats more is nobody looks at the bloody reports anyway!

So, 300 quid for absolutley bloody nothing!

How much....christ ive just got a bill for my HIPS £450 and the guy who does the environmental assessment (who just turned up one day unannounced) found it highly amusing that we had a pile of energy light bulbs on kitchen table waiting too be fitted...complete tossers.

Oh and im not even selling the darn house now..... >:(



You were done, I could have got it for 50 quid less but was not impressed by the chap who was doing the work so paid the extra!

My estate agent did mine.....well actually an underling in his office came round.......made a few notes....stuck his head up in the loft.....and cleared off.......prolly in the house 10 mins or so.

The report came from a company bloody miles away tho  :-/

I guess they get a kick back from the company for doing the legwork for them  :-/
Title: Re: Home Information Packs - What a waste
Post by: Elite Pete on 31 July 2008, 12:11:28
From October ive got to have one of these done every time I rent a property out :'(