A Home Information Pack (HIP) is now required for most homes put on the market with vacant possession since 14 December 2007. There are a few exceptions, including mixed use properties, portfolio sales, or sales of properties with leases of less than 21 years.

Anyone marketing a property for sale in England and Wales - whether they are a Housing Developer, an Estate Agent or Auctioneer, a Private Individual - is responsible for ensuring a HIP is in place and made available to prospective buyers.

The following compulsory documents must be included in a Home Information Pack.

Home Information Pack Index

Energy Performance Certificate

Sale statement

Standard searches

Evidence of title

Property Information Questionnaire

Additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales, where appropriate.

Energy Performance Certificate

Energy Performance Certificates tell you how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes - which should have the lowest fuelbills - are in band A. The Certificate also tells you, on a scale of A-G, about the impact the home has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less impact through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings. The Certificate includes recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment. Most sellers of newly built homes will have to provide a predicted assessment of the energy efficiency of the property, but a full Energy Performance Certificate should be provided to the buyer when the home is completed.

Sale Statement

The sale statement should provide some basic information about the property, including:

The address of the property being sold.

Whether the property is freehold, leasehold or commonhold.

Whether the property is registered or unregistered.

Whether or not the property is being sold with vacant possession.

Standard searches

The Home Information Pack must include:

The local land charges register relating to the property being sold. Once a search is completed, which can be carried out by a personal search company or a local authority, you will receive an official search certificate.

Other records held by the local authority on matters of interest to buyers, such as planning decisions and road building proposals. These are referred to as local enquiries in the Home Information Pack regulations.

The provision of drainage and water services to the property.

Evidence of Title

These documents prove that the seller owns the property and therefore has the right to sell it. Where the property being sold is registered, certain documents that are available on request from the Land Registry must be included in the Pack. These provide an up-to-date official record of who owns the land, and consist of:

Official copies of the individual register (made up of a property register, proprietorship register and, typically, a charges register)

An official copy of the title plan.

In the case of the sale of a commonhold interest, official copies of the register and title plan should be produced for both the unit and common parts.

For sales of unregistered land, the Pack must include copies of a certificate of an official search of the index map (obtained from the Land Registry), and those documents that the seller intends to rely on to provide evidence of title to the property, and thus the right to sell it.

Leasehold and commonhold properties

Most of the documents that must be included in the Home Information Pack are applicable to all transactions, but some are needed only for leasehold and commonhold sales.

Of the required leasehold documents only a copy of the Lease is compulsory.

However, sellers should include other leasehold documents whenever available and the following are authorised for inclusion in Home Information Packs.

Any regulations or rules that apply to the property that aren't mentioned in the lease and any proposed amendments to same.

Statements or summaries of service charges covering the previous 36 months.

Where appropriate, the most recent requests for payment of service charges, ground rent, insurance against damage for the building in which the property is situated, and insurance in respect of personal injury caused by or within the building during the 12-month period before marketing began.

The name and address of the current or proposed lessor, and details of any managing agent that has been appointed or proposed by the lessor to manage the property.

A summary of any works being undertaken or proposed that will affect the property or the building in which it's situated.

The required commonhold documents are:

An official copy of the individual register and title plan for the common parts. This is in addition to official copies for the unit.

An official copy of the commonhold community statement.

Where they are reasonably obtainable, or sellers can reasonably be expected to be aware of them, the following documents and information are also required.

Copies of any regulations or rules not described in the commonhold community statement and any amendments proposed to those regulations or to the commonhold community statement.

Copies of any requests for payments made in the previous 12 months in respect of commonhold assessment, reserve fund levy and insurance (if not covered by a request for commonhold assessment)

The name and address of any managing agent or other person appointed or proposed to be appointed by the commonhold association to manage the commonhold.

A summary of current or proposed works affecting the commonhold.