Outcry at housing pack chaos

May 23 2007 By Gary Marks, Birmingham Mail

PROPERTY experts in the Midlands condemned the Government for throwing the housing market into turmoil yesterday after it announced a delay and watering down of Home Information Packs.

In the face of a legal challenge from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Ministers bowed to pressure and pushed back the start date for mandatory sellers' packs from June 1 to August 1.

The controversial packs will also now be subject to a staggered roll-out and will only initially apply to sellers of houses with four or more bedrooms.

In a statement to the Commons, Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly said HIPs were to be delayed in light of the launch of a judicial review by RICS.

A preliminary view from the Honourable Mr Justice Collins in relation to the case called for the dropping of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) - a crucial part of HIPs - if the launch date of June 1 was to be made.

Harvey Williams, RICS spokesman for the West Midlands, said there had been a significant surge in the number of properties being put on to the market in the past four weeks to beat the original June 1 date.

"The phased introduction of these packs is hardly bringing clarity to the market, regardless of what Ruth Kelly says," he said.