Yvette Cooper Pledges £4 Million on HIPs

Commenting on the news, Head of Business Development at Home Inspectors.co.uk, Andy Featherstone said: "The DCLG (Department for Communities and Local Government) Ministerial News Release contains much new information about market and industry activity, including a confirmation of the timeline for HIPs implementation. The statement and the supporting documents now set out a number of key issues in very clear terms and will come as welcome reassurance to those considering a career in home inspection as well as those who are already committed to the Home Inspectors Diploma."

We would draw your particular attention to the following statements by the Minister, which are highlighted in red:

"EPCs, energy ratings for homes similar to consumer-friendly 'fridge ratings', will be compulsory as part of Home Information Packs from 1 June 2007." This statement provides confirmation that the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) remains firmly a mandatory element of the Home Information Pack (HIP) and reaffirms the date of implementation.

"Yvette Cooper also pledged £4 million of funding today to support six area trials for the packs in Bath, Newcastle, Southampton, Northampton, Huddersfield and Cambridge in November 2006. The trials are taking place in partnership with the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) and aim to help test both the packs and full Home Condition Reports." This is clear evidence of the Government's commitment to providing £4 million of "pump-priming" money to support the HIP trials in the six areas up and down the country. Full packs will be produced as part of this trial activity, including Home Condition Reports (HCRs). This is a very significant development and demonstrates their ongoing support for introducing the Home Condition Report (HCR) on a market-led basis. Home Inspectors.co.uk as an early adopter organisation fully supports and will assist in the voluntary dry-run activity including the AHIPP pilot.

"Yvette Cooper also confirmed that a number of key milestones for the delivery of the programme have been met" The first Certification Schemes, proposed to be run by SAVA, and also we understand BRE (Building Research Establishment) are now going through the formal approval process. Although not seemingly a major step, the need for Certification Schemes is of paramount importance to the process going forward successfully, and this is very positive news. We are already in discussion with BRE and others about handling the ongoing Certification requirements of our members and students.

"The Home Condition Report Register will be operational later this year." The HCR Register is also a crucial requirement and this news shows how the industry is working towards the IT infrastructure needs of the marketplace.

"Next February, a National Occupation Standard for Energy Assessors will be in place, enabling people to train for a stand-alone Energy Assessors qualification" This does not represent a viable alternative route to a career in home inspection as it will limit the holder of the qualification to doing EPC's only (not HCR's or the bolt-ons available to those with the dip HI qualification such as the valuation for secured lending bolt on.

It is a future option for those who want to carry out nothing but EPCs and is principally aimed at the future requirement for commercial and domestic Energy Assessors under the EU Directive.

From our position on the Asset Skills Working Group, we can report the present intention for this to be a 5-unit VRQ (Vocationally Related Qualification) at Level 4 which will therefore have many similarities to the Diploma in Home Inspection qualification.

It will not be a fast-track or a quick-fix qualification in the way that some have rumoured. Based on current assumptions, 5-unit courses of this type take anything between 9 months to a year for students to complete. What's more, you must be able to demonstrate most of the essential "knowledge and understanding" as is currently provided in our MOL course.

"Ian McCartney, Minister for Consumer Affairs, has also confirmed that his Department has today published on its website the criteria that the DTI Secretary of State will use to assess the suitability of applicants to run redress schemes available to those who have HIP related complaints. This will ensure that as from June 2007 home buyers and sellers will have the protection they need from unscrupulous agents and others marketing the Packs." The publication of criteria for use by prospective redress schemes is yet another important piece of news and brings certainty to this crucial part of HIPs implementation.

This statement is extremely positive and will serve to clarify many of the outstanding issues and questions those considering or embarking on a career in home inspection have at this time.

DCLG statement

DCLG HIPs timeline

Letter to Home Inspectors