HOME INFORMATION PACKS (No. 2)

That this House believes that home information packs (HIPs) are having an adverse effect on the current housing market; notes with concern the recent evidence that the cost of home information packs is being artificially inflated by pack providers and estate agents; recognises that the housing industry has pronounced them unhelpful for buyers and sellers; further notes that at the end of the first day of marketing last month the National Association of Estate Agents said 65 per cent. of estate agents questioned thought the new arrangements would discourage sellers from putting their homes up for sale, and 89 per cent. did not think they would benefit buyers; further notes that the Government's own statistics had shown that 77 per cent. of people paid no attention to HIPs when deciding whether or not to buy a property; further notes with concern that in many areas of the sale and rental industry the home information pack legislation is being routinely ignored; and calls on the Government to use its powers to suspend home information packs immediately, and then introduce primary legislation to scrap them completely.