Christopher Fraser, MP for South West Norfolk, has spoken in Parliament of his opposition to the introduction of Home Information Packs, which anyone putting their house on the market from 1 June 2007 will be required to supply to potential buyers. He raised with the Leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw MP, concerns expressed by constituents about the cost of HIPs and about the security implications of the scheme.
Christopher Fraser said: “Jack Straw gave notice of a debate in the House on 16 May which will consider the HIP Regulations. I asked him to give MPs an opportunity to re-consider the timetable and details of the regulations before they blight the housing market and the peace of mind of home owners.
“People are understandably very worried about reports that the Domestic Energy Assessors who have to provide the energy performance certificates will not be fully checked by the Criminal Records Bureau. Whilst most assessors will, I am sure, be entirely trustworthy, it could be an opportunity for unscrupulous people to gain entry to property for less than honest reasons. The Government must deal with this point if home owners are to have any peace of mind.
“The Law Society is warning that there will not be enough energy assessors trained and ready to go by 1 June and that the property market could be thrown in to chaos. I do not support the principle of Home Information Packs, as they are likely to make moving home even more stressful than it already is. Rather than protecting consumers, HIPs are set to undermine the stability and health of the housing market. I shall be raising my concerns again during the Commons Debate.” |