House buyers slam HIPs

The majority of house buyers want Home Information Packs scrapped because they are a waste of time, a new poll shows.

The YouGov poll found 57% of those questioned said the packs, which cost sellers £350, should be scrapped to make buying a home easier.

Only 5% said the packs had benefits, while 68% said they had failed to make a positive difference.

The packs were introduced last August and include title deeds, searches and an energy performance certificate.

National Association of Estate Agents spokesman Peter Bolton said the packs had been “surrounded by a catalogue of disasters”.

He told the Daily Mail: “And, so far, rather than helping to improve the home buying and selling process, they have served as a hindrance and nothing more than a purposeless piece of red tape.”