MPs to vote on scrapping HIPs

MPs are to gather this afternoon in the House of Commons to vote on whether or not Home Information Packs (HIPs) should be scrapped.

The vote comes just a day after the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) announced it is to take the government to court over the badly managed introduction of the HIPs and training of inspectors, and because it had not consulted properly on their introduction.

The Conservative Party is leading the motion to kill off plans to have the packs introduced.

The party says that HIPs will increase costs and will not achieve any of the goals the government is promising such as cutting the number of transactions which fall through and encouraging people to be more energy efficient.

The planned date for the introduction of HIPs is June 1 from when all homes put up for sale in England and Wales must have a HIP and an energy performance certificate which will cost between £400 and £1000.

The Conservative motion has been tabled by party leader David Cameron and shadow communities secretary Caroline Spelman.

The motion to scrap the home packs will be debated today from about 12:45 and will be followed by the all important MP vote to decide if the implementation of the packs by June 1 will be halted.

The RICS’s move is believed to have been an attempt to persuade Labour MPs to vote with the Conservatives.

Commenting on yesterday’s announcement by RICS David Masters, a partner at London-based Dawsons Solicitors, said: "This is an unprecedented move by the RICS to raise the controversial issue of HIPs ahead of today’s crucial vote in the House of Commons.

"Whether or not the courts agree to review the adequacy of the consultation process, the only sure way to stop HIPs coming into effect on June 1 is for the majority of MPs to vote against it."