Estate Agents Accused of Marketing Property Without HIPs

A report that estate agents in the UK were marketing properties without HIPs and that as many as one in ten properties were being sold without one is not an accurate assesment of the situation where Chard operates it's estate agents offices in London.

Despite the fact that approximately only 1% of buyers ask to see the HIP before making an offer, Chard, in common with other estate agents, insists that one be commissioned on instruction. In some cases, where multiple agents are instructed, agents will share the HIP report.

Reports that Gordon Brown was looking at measures to kick start the UK housing market (including a possible suspension of stamp duty) ring very hollow when we consider how few buyers are actually interested in the HIPs content, yet the government appears to have no plans to abolish this exercise in paper collection that acts as a tax on vendors.