The Home Information Pack (HIP) is a set of documents which gives the buyer key information on the property and must be provided by the seller or the seller’s agent. The HIP is compulsory for all homes on the market in England and Wales. 
The HIP must be commissioned and paid for (or arrangement for payment made) before the property is marketed for sale.
Why do you need a HIP?
The HIP lets buyers see important information on the property at the start of the process, free of charge. This means there is less risk of buyers becoming aware of any surprises at the end of the process which could cause delays and extra expense to both the buyer and seller. It is a legal requirement to have a HIP and the property cannot be marketed without one.
Does your property need a HIP?
If you’re selling a private, residential property on the open market, you will normally need a HIP.
You do not need a HIP for:
- properties where there is no advertising (eg selling to a member of your family)
- non-residential properties
- properties limited by law to use as holiday accommodation or occupation for less than 11 months per year
- mixed sales (e.g. shop with flat)
- right to buy and similar sales
- sales of portfolios of properties
- properties not being sold with completely vacant possession
- unsafe properties and properties to be demolished
What does a HIP contain?
The HIP is made up of compulsory and optional documents.
There shouldn’t be any marketing or advertising material in the pack. It must contain official information only.
Compulsory Documents
The following documents must be included in your HIP:
Freehold properties
- Home Information Pack Index
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- sustainability information (required for newly built homes only)
- sale statement
- evidence of title
- standard searches (local authority and drainage and water)
Leasehold properties
- all the compulsory documents above
- a copy of the lease
Click here to see a sample Home Information Pack
Download a sample pack (PDF, 2720K)
Optional Documents
The following documents may be included in your HIP. Including these documents could help to speed up the sale and ensure that the process goes more smoothly.
These include:
- Home Condition Report
- legal summary
- home use/contents form
- other documents such as specialised search reports (e.g. a mining search in a mining area)
Who pays for the HIP?
The seller is responsible for the cost of a HIP. The buyer must be given a copy of the HIP free of charge if they ask for it. The HIP will be available in electronic format by e-mail. The seller may make a reasonable charge to cover the costs of copying and posting it, if the buyer requests a paper copy. Buyers should get a copy of the HIP within 14 days of the request being made.
You should provide a copy of your HIP to every potential buyer if they want it. You can refuse to provide a HIP to the buyer if you believe that:
- they could not afford the property, eg people who don’t have an ‘in principle’ mortgage
- they are not really interested in buying the property, eg a journalist posing as a buyer to get a HIP of a celebrity’s home
- they are not a person who you would wish to sell the property to (but this doesn’t mean you can unlawfully discriminate against someone)
What happens if you don’t provide a HIP?
If you don’t provide a HIP then you or the person marketing the property could face a fixed penalty notice (currently set at £200).
How long is a HIP valid for?
While the property is on the market, there is no need to update the HIP. If the sale of your property stops and then starts again, you may have to compile a new HIP and provide up-to-date documents.
However, you can carry on using the same HIP without the need to update any of the documents where:
- marketing stopped because an offer was accepted and the sale has fallen through (but remarketing must start within one year of the date when marketing first began or, if later, within 28 days of the sale falling through)
- marketing has stopped for any other reason and the seller remarkets the property within one year of the date when marketing first began.
The HIP has a shelf-life of at least 12 months for the seller.