In order to help you understand the process and our work, we have answered a few frequently asked questions below:
What do Home Inspectors do?
Home Inspectors (HI’s) are responsible for preparing Home Condition Reports and Energy Performance Certificates which are contained in a Home Information Pack (unlike Domestic Energy Assessors, who are only qualified to carry out EPC’s). A Home Inspector must hold a qualification at NVQ Level 4 (equivalent to degree level). As a HI, I have an in-depth knowledge and practical understanding of residential building construction and defects across a range of properties. These are set out in the approved National Occupational Standards for Home Inspectors. You can find out more about the standards on the SAVA website.
What is a HIP?
Most properties marketed for sale from 14 December 2007 in England and Wales will need a Home Information Pack. The Pack includes:
Compulsory Documents:
- Home Information Pack Index
- Energy Performance Certificate (containing advice on how to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills).
- Sale statement
- Standard searches
- Evidence of title
- Additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales, where appropriate.
Optional Documents:
- Home Condition Report
- Legal summary
- Home use/contents forms
- Other documents
- Additional information for leasehold and commonhold sales, where appropriate.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
The Home Inspector will collect data at your home, which will take approximately 45-60 minutes. This is purely a visual inspection. We won’t drill holes or lift floorboards, etc... so you can be assured no damage will be done to your property. The data collected at your home is then collated, using government-approved software, and will provide an energy rating band between A (good) and G (poor) for your home. You will also receive some ideas for improving your energy rating at the end of the report. We will endeavour to send you the report within 2 working days. The final report will be provided by email as a PDF document. Printed copies will be provided on request.
Energy Performance Certificates were introduced as a Europe-wide initiative aimed at increasing awareness of carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming, and to encourage individual householders to make improvements to reduce emissions. In the U.K. 27% of carbon dioxide emissions are from homes, the second biggest sector after transport. The other incentive for householders, of course, is the ever-increasing cost of electricity and gas, and the Energy Performance Certificate clearly highlights the best ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Many householders can save hundreds of pounds with appropriate improvements: see the Energy Saving Trust website for more information.
Energy Performance Certificates were introduced as a Europe-wide initiative aimed at increasing awareness of carbon dioxide emissions that cause global warming, and to encourage individual householders to make improvements to reduce emissions. In the U.K. 27% of carbon dioxide emissions are from homes, the second biggest sector after transport. The other incentive for householders, of course, is the ever-increasing cost of electricity and gas, and the Energy Performance Certificate clearly highlights the best ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Many householders can save hundreds of pounds with appropriate improvements: see the Energy Saving Trust website for more information.
What is a Home Condition Report (HCR)?
The Government believes there will be significant benefits to home sellers if they top up their Packs to include full Home Condition Reports. A Home Condition Report contains information about the physical condition of a property which sellers, buyers and lenders will be able to use. The report is an important part of the pack, and can be included by sellers on a voluntary basis. Sellers who provide a report will have an early opportunity to carry out repair work on the property or obtain quotes prior to marketing. We believe that buyers are more likely to buy your property if they can see a report detailing the condition of the property from the outset. Buyers can use it at the beginning of the home-buying process to minimise the possibility of being faced with unexpected repair bills and other surprises which often force buyers to withdraw from a purchase. This will save valuable time and create a much smoother process for all parties involved. Lenders can benefit by using the report to form their valuations, reducing the need to repeat a detailed on-site inspection at the buyer's expense. Please note that a HCR automatically contains an EPC within it.
What is a Home Condition Survey (HCS)?
The HCS is a jargon-free and easy to understand report which details the condition of a property. It is very similar to the HCR. The big difference between a HCR and a HCS is that the HCS is a report purely based on the condition of the property and it does not contain an EPC. As many people wanting to know more about the condition of their property already have an EPC, there is no need to get a HCR done, which will cost more than a HCS. The HCS will also show photos of the property, which the HCR does not allow for.
