HIPs to go ahead, Beckett insists

Housing minister Margaret Beckett insisted yesterday that the government will press ahead with the full introduction of Home Information Packs (HIPs).

The Daily Telegraph reported that the announcement dashed opponents' hopes that the final implementation of the packs would be scrapped.

Currently home sellers need to order a HIP before putting their house on the market but do not need to complete any of the documents.

From April the documents will have to be in place before the home is advertised.