(1888PressRelease)
May 11, 2007 - Including the price of an energy performance certificate (EPC), the final value of a Hip will be £300 to £400, according to the AHIPP.
Meanwhile, the organisation - which represents estate agency, search providers and Hip providers - has also called into question reports that there will be an insufficient number of energy assessors come June 1st - when Hips go live - which will disrupt the housing market.
Mike Ockenden, director general of AHIPP, believes there will be more than enough to meet demand.
"The training and assessment centres surveyed have told us that there will be at least 1,130 home inspectors and over 2,400 [domestic energy assessors] ready to undertake inspections for June," he asserted.
"Furthermore the cost of a pack has frequently been mis-reported as being up to £1,000 but again this is an erroneous figure, designed to galvanise opposition to the packs. We cannot find a single provider quoting this amount."
However, the fact is that all homesellers will be forced to pay for a Hip - whatever the true cost - unless, that is, they choose to sell their home to National Homebuyers as in this instance a Hip is deemed superfluous.
National Homebuyers director Julian King concludes: "Although in most cases Hips are unlikely to cost as much as £1,000, the fact that the vendor is being asked to shell out for the pack still changes the way in which people consider selling their property.
"Even at £400 - £600 per property, the initial outlay to sell is too much for some homeowners. As a private buyer we do not require a Hip pack hence why thousands are contacting us to achieve a fast property sale, Hips free."
