Tories pledge to scrap Hips says National Homebuyers

Homeowners in financial difficulties may be pleased to hear that the Tories would scrap Home information packs (Hips) if they came into power.

[ClickPress, Fri Feb 15 2008] Conservative shadow housing minister Grant Shapps has slammed the packs, labelling them a "ludicrous waste of time".

During an appearance on BBC Radio Four's 'Any Question?' programme, Mr Shapps vowed that his party would scrap Hips.

He highlighted the fact that sellers need to pay for the packs, which could mean many people in financial difficulties are stuck in a property which they cannot sale because they cannot afford a Hip.

"What it does is to ensure you have to commission, when you want to put your house on the market, a pack which costs you three, four, £500 plus VAT," said Mr Shapps.

"But the real scandal here is the government carried out a £4 million trial of Hips, they actually went out, chose to trial six pilot areas and they have never ever published the results.

"They cut them up. The experts have ridiculed this, the industry doesn't want them, the market doesn't need them and we will scrap them," he added.

Julian King of National Homebuyers has been a opponent of Hips from the start: "Increasing the cost of selling homes at a time when the market was falling was not good planning.

"Changing the rules just days before it was to go live and then providing a lack of information to the homeowner equally shows the stupidity in the planning of its introduction.

"Homeowners looking to sell their property without incurring the cost of Hips can sell directly to a quick property sale company like National Homebuyers. We advise the consumer only to use reputable national companies and avoid the less scrupulous smaller businesses".

Mr King is a director of National Homebuyers, the UK's leading quick home sale firm, guaranteeing a fast property sale for vendors who need a quick sale. Mr King is also a founder of APBA, the Approved Property Buyers Association which is calling for government regulation for the Quick Property Sale and Sell and Rent Back industries.

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