Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
HIPS
How much is a HIP and what does that include?
The standard price of a HIP is £395.00 plus VAT. A mileage charge may be added to properties that are a distance from the office and the cost of a HIP for larger properties or leasehold interests may be higher.
The cost of a HIP includes the EPC fee and the cost of printing and binding.
Can I pay for it after my property has sold?
No, we usually ask for payment in advance, since search fees are payable as soon as they are ordered.
Can I order one when my property has gone under offer?
No. The law require you to have a Lite HIP before marketing can commence. The completed HIP must be ready within 28 days or at the point of exchange—whichever is sooner.
How long does it take to prepare the HIP?
We can normally issue a Lite HIP within a few days, so long as we can gain access to the property in this time, the vendor can complete the Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) promptly and there are no complications with the title documents.
We have issued several Lite HIPs within 12 hours!
How will it be presented?
We provide an electronic copy and two hard copies as standard. We usually send a hard copy to the vendors and the estate agent or solicitor.
We are finding, increasingly, that clients are satisfied with electronic copies only.
EPC
Is the survey intrusive?
Not terribly. We'll look at the general structure of the property and take some measurements and photographs, which are for our records only. We need to have a look into the roof space if access is safe, and have a look at the boiler and the hot water cylinder, if there is one.
How much is an EPC?
It depends on the size of the dwellings and distance from our offices. Our prices for residential EPCs start at £65.00 plus VAT.
For commercial properties, our quotes are based on the time it will takes us to survey the premises, including travel time and the time it will take to process and upload the data together with the upload fee that we are charged.
Is an EPC really relevant for my type of house?
We believe so. In the UK, buildings produce 60% of all carbon emissions and the EPC is a way of, not just addressing this, but also being seen to address this by the EU. However, part of the survey is a tick-box exercise and some properties' characteristics are more suited to this type of survey than others.
Assumptions, based on property age and the building regulations in force when the property was built, are made throughout the survey software. We can limit the effects of these assumptions by inputting accurate data, which is best discovered by talking to the owner about changes or improvements that have been made to the property.
We're able, indirectly, to lobby the government with suggestions for improvements to the survey once a quarter. Our opinion is that the survey will be improved upon and developed over the next few years as energy efficiency in buildings comes into ever sharper focus.
How will it be presented?
For residential EPCs we provide an electronic copy. For commercial EPCs we provide an electronic copy and two hard copies as standard.
For more specific questions, especially those relating to commercial properties, please contact us.