HIPs are ''already outdated''

Home information packs (HIPs) are due to become compulsory for all property sold from June 1st, but some property experts are already saying that HIPs may soon become unnecessary due to e-conveyancing.

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has said that if e-conveyancing was speeded up then there could be a situation where properties are registered immediately in title without the need for HIPs.

Charles Smailes, president of the NAEA, said: "Back in 1997 you could accept that there was a need to improve the house buying and selling process.

"But a lot of this process has been overtaken by technology advances which are going to culminate in the Land Registry, e-conveyancing and instant registration of title."

He said that HIPs will not do anything to speed up the chain of selling that goes with buying a house because the transaction will only move as fast as the buyer does no matter whether there is a HIP on offer.


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