Kirstie Allsopp comments on Hips delay

Kirstie Allsopp, the TV property expert who presents Location, Location, Location, says that Home Information Packs (Hips) should be scrapped altogether

She wrote an article for the Sun newspaper where she said that Hips are "bad news" because "they could ruin the property market and fail to significantly improve the home buying process".

The cost, in particular, is a cause of concern as the packs can cost up to £1,000 and on top of that fee is VAT at 17.5 per cent.

Ms Allsopp agrees with groups like the Law Society and many estate agents who are against the introduction of Hips.

She wrote in the Sun: "When the government came into power ten years ago, the average first-time buyer paid £44,000 for a property and just 30 per cent of sales attracted stamp duty.

"Now the average first-time buyer pays £146,000 and more than 70 per cent attract stamp duty. The government is raking in money from home owners who will be hit again if Hips go ahead, which I strongly hope they don't."


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