Home Information Pack (HIP) and RdSAP Training

 
Home Information Pack (HIP)

The HIP is the Governments proposed method of improving the home selling and purchasing process.

Some of the reasons why the government want to introduce this legislation are: 

“Under the present home buying process, a lot of information required by buyers and sellers about a property only becomes available after an offer has been made and accepted. This can mean that problems with the property may come to light only after several weeks, by which time the buyer and seller may have incurred significant costs in legal fees, searches, surveys, etc. This can cause the terms to be renegotiated, delay exchange of contracts and even result in transactions failing altogether.

Extensive research has shown that the current system is extremely inefficient and wasteful and does not look after the best interests of buyers or sellers. Delays in the present system can encourage gazumping and other problems. Providing key information up front in the Home Information Pack will make the process more efficient, transparent and consumer friendly. This means less risk of transactions collapsing, less wasted expenditure and earlier certainty for everyone.”

 Download the ODPM’s HIP Background and FAQ’s document.

 The HIP is also the mechanism for delivering compliance with EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings in the owner occupied sector.

Read more about the EU Directive.

The Home Information pack would contain:

·                       Terms of sale

·                       Evidence of Title

·                       Standard searches

·                       Planning consents and building control certificates

·                       Property information and fixtures and fittings forms

·                       Copies of guarantees and warranties

·                       Draft contract

·                       Home Condition Report including an energy efficiency assessment

The Home Condition Report (HCR) is a survey similar to a Homebuyers Survey; it contains a lot of information concerning the condition of the property and an energy performance report. It far exceeds the information that the majority of purchasers currently receive as most purchasers tend to rely only on a valuation survey which is only done for the benefit of the lender. The information in the HCR will be used to inform the prospective buyer, seller and mortgage lender.

The Energy Performance Report in the HCR is produced using the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for the energy rating of dwellings (SAP). However as the HCR is for existing properties it would not be appropriate to require the full SAP data set to be collected, this level of data would normally be taken off plans. Elmhurst is currently developing for DEFRA a SAP method using limited data, this new method will be called Reduced Data SAP (RDSAP). The RDSAP is very similar to Elmhurst’s existing Streamline system and is being developed in conjunction with the other FAERO members.

The RdSAP

Please click on the link to see the dataset required to calculate an RdSAP ‘Energy Efficiency Assessment’; please note the similarity to our existing Streamline/Quest systems.

Also link to the new Home Energy Performance Report with colour coded bands. This is yet to be officially published, but is the latest version.

How Elmhurst fit into the HCR training (RdSAP Training)

The Awarding Body for the Built Environment (ABBE) have used the attached ‘Energy Check List’ to enable the Assessment Centres to be able to ascertain the skills of a potential Home Inspectors; any person who is an Elmhurst Accredited SAP Surveyor is already in a good position in regards to the energy requirements of the HCR. The skills previously obtained from previous Elmhurst SAP training will obviously cover a number of these components (in the check list). However there are new skills to learn and this is where flexible training will become important.

Our flexibility will see us offering a range of training methods, including on-line training and formal group training sessions We will provide training that is suitable for all concerned. Currently we are the preferred partner for energy training for the HCR for ABE, CIOB, RICS and Countrywide.

Any potential Home Inspector can undertake RdSAP training with Elmhurst Energy Systems Ltd and upon successful completion will be provided with a certificate of competence and access to our members area of our website; allowing free training software, which will be kept up to date with any future changes. Please click to view the available RdSAP training options. The next available dates for RdSAP Training (Option 3) at a Midlands based conference venue are:

Tuesday 19th December 2006

Thursday 25th January 2007, Home Inspectors Only- Ansty Nr Coventry

Thursday 22nd February 2007, Home Inspectors Only- Ansty Nr Coventry

Thursday 29th March 2007, Home Inspectors Only- Ansty Nr Coventry

 

25 places available each day

Further dates to follow

 

Once you are a Home Inspector

Once you are trained you will begin to produce HCR’s. How you will actually provide the report will ultimately depend on the piece of software you choose to provide the HCR within the HIP.

Elmhurst Energy Systems is currently working with other organisations on the integration of our RdSAP calculation engine into various pieces of HCR software. This means as a surveyor you will input your HCR data and once finished the HCR will include all necessary reports including the ‘Energy Efficiency Assessment’.

The actual idea is that once you are a trained home inspector you can use any piece of software to obtain your HCR, including the ‘Home Energy Performance Report’ (HEPR). We at Elmhurst recognise that we currently have the most surveyors trained in the country, with the ability to produce ‘Home Energy Ratings’; we will continue to keep you up to date with all you need to know regarding the energy side of the HCR., but as always please feel free to contact us for further information.

RdSAP for the rental market

The European Buildings Directive states that an energy certificate shall be made available when a building is constructed, sold, or ‘rented’. It is almost certain that the ODPM will choose the RdSAP methodology to be used for rented properties. What is still to be decided is this method for enforcing this upon the rental market.

Once this is established, any person who has successfully become an accredited RdSAP assessor will be able to offer this service to landlords. This area of work will not automatically be cornered by Home Inspectors – although to be a HI, you will have had to display competence in the RdSAP methodology. Any persons, who wish to offer the RdSAP as a stand alone report, can be trained up to the necessary standards.

This is an area where we are receiving more and more interest. We will be providing RdSAP training courses and on-line training and assessments in the near future. Please keep and eye on this website for future updates.