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Legislation
Energy Performance Certificates were initially introduced by the European Union as directive 2002.91/EC of the European Parliament. Members of the Union were set a timescale for providing energy performance information in respect of properties in their countries. Our Government decided to use Home Information Packs as a vehicle for making that information available on the basis that it was essential information for would be buyers.
The Housing Act 2004 introduced the legislation for Home Information Packs (HIPs). It is believed that the preparation of the packs before a property is marketed will mean that once a buyer is found there will be less delay in the transaction proceeding because of the need to wait for documentation to be collated. With the exception of the EPC all the documents in a HIP would have been expected to be required at some stage during the conveyancing process of the sale of the property. The EPC is therefore the only document new to sellers and buyers. The benefits of having a HIP are therefore providing the energy performance information to the Buyer and also avoiding delay in a sale proceeding with an appropriate reduction on the impact and stress of selling a property which can often be a daunting experience.
