Anne Main: Minister admits HIPs don't live up to expectations
28th October 2008
Anne Main has called on the Government to scrap the costly, ineffectual Home Information Pack scheme (HIPs) following revelations from the Housing Minister that they are not doing the job they were designed for.
Anne Main, MP for St Albans, has called on the Government to scrap the costly, ineffectual Home Information Pack scheme (HIPs) following revelations from the Housing Minister that they are not doing the job they were designed for.
At a meeting of the Department of Communities, Anne questioned Housing Minister Margaret Beckett about the scheme, drawing her attention to the lack of positive feedback from both buyers and sellers, and the estimated £30 saving generated by a HIP that costs up to £300 + VAT. The Minister repeatedly admitted that HIPs were not working as well as the Government had intended.
Under pressure from Anne's questioning, the Minister admitted:
"I think that given their limitations they have some degree of beneficial impact but I fully accept that they're not, perhaps, the perfect vehicle we might wish for. I accept they're not working to the potential they could."
After the meeting Anne said:
"The evidence is overwhelming, HIPs are a costly, ineffectual piece of bureaucracy, which even the Minister could only half-heartedly defend. Industry experts and hard-pressed home buyers know that HIPs are confusing and of little value, and even the Minister responsible for this pointless scheme didn't deny it.
It is ridiculous to burden home-buyers and sellers with additional cost for no real benefit. HIPs should be scrapped immediately.""
