Full roll-out for controversial HIPs

By Jennifer Hill

LONDON (Reuters) - The government's controversial home information pack (HIP) scheme was extended to all homes on Friday.

Sellers of one and two-bedroom properties will now have to offer potential buyers one of the packs, which include legal documents and a certificate rating energy efficiency.

The full roll-out was delayed because not enough people had been trained as energy assessors.

The first phase started in August with the introduction of the packs for houses with four bedrooms or more.

HIPs are currently taking an average of seven to ten days to produce and costing sellers around 300-350 pounds, according to the government.

It argues that the packs are needed to cut delays in home buying and promote energy efficiency, but they have met with fierce opposition.

Critics say they have brought little benefit to consumers and distorted the housing market.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said that without a home condition report HIPs were a "waste of time and consumer's money".