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Frequently Asked Questions

HIPS

Home Information Packs - Do I need one?

A Home Information Pack, More commonly known as a HIP, is required to advertise any property for sale in England and Wales, with certain exclusions.

What are the Exclusions?

The following properties are exempt from the Home Information Pack 

• Properties in Scotland and Northern Ireland
• Property not offered on the open market (e.g direct sale to family member, friend, or neighbour)
• Non-residential property (i.e shops or mixed commercial)
• Properties sold with sitting tenants and not available for owner ocupation
• Homes on the market before HIPs were introduced

What is a Home Information Pack?

A Home Information Pack contains a variety of legal documents about a property being offered for sale including an energy rating certificate.

Home owners are required to provide a Home Information Pack (HIP) for buyers when a property is placed on the market for sale.  This applied to all properties from December 2007. 

 Home Information Packs relate to the marketing of the property by any method - you don't need to be selling with an estate agent to comply with or purchase HIPs which are available through any authorised supplier, including through The Big Move Online.

 

What Does a HIP contain?

THe main documents included in the HIP consist of an energy rating certificate and other documents required to exchange contracts on the property.  The HIP not include a Home Condition Report (building survey) at this time.

Main Documents

• Energy Efficiency Report
• Terms of sale
• Evidence of the title
• Standard searches
• Planning consents, agreements, building control certificates
• Sellers property information form
• Warranties and guarantees

Leasehold Supplements

• Copy of the lease
• Service charge accounts
• Building insurance policy details and payment receipts
• Regulations made by the landlord or management company
• Memorandum and articles of the landlord and management company

Aren't 'free' HIPs offered by estate agents

Take great care, so-called 'free' Home Information Packs are ALWAYS subject to terms and conditions. Of course, it's not really 'free' at all, the cost of the HIP must be paid for (by you) at some point, usually by a higher commission rate on the property sale or a tie in clause, meaning that your agent 'owns' the HIP and you can't change to another agent if you need to.

Buying your HIP direct with us means that you (not the estate agent) own the HIP and can use it with any other agent or private marketing. It will also be cheaper than the true hidden cost of an agent's 'free' HIP.

Can the The Big Move Online provide me with a HIP?

Yes, The Big Move Online has a special deal for our customers. We offer a HIP that you own yourself, with no restrictive terms and the option of a 7 month defered payment until or until completion of the sale, which ever comes first (no upfront cost). This is not a 'free' HIP, but is probably the cheapest way to buy your HIP complete and direct.

Order your Home Information Pack (HIP) for £320 including VAT  by clicking here

Sellers

Why sell privately?

By selling your property privately you will be in control of your own sale and will be the point of contact for any potential buyers. When you use an estate agent they take the phone calls, arrange viewings and answer any questions that a buyer my have about your property, on your behalf. They also charge you on average 1.6% of the house sale for the privilege.

Why not save yourself a small fortune and sell your house privately with The Big Move Online. After all, you know more about your own property than any estate agent!

Where exactly will my property be advertised?

Firstly, your property advertisement will be listed on our website which is accessible throughout the UK. We also advertise using a multi-listing package, which means your property will feature on around 550 partner sites such as Fish 4 Homes, plus external advertising including the local and national press.

Can I still sell privately even if I am with an estate agent?

Yes, even if you’ve already put your property on the market with an estate agent you can usually still advertise with The Big Move Online, depending on the contract between you and your agent. Although you may already have a contract with an agent for your property, it might be the case that you can usually still advertise your property privately online depending on the contract you have.

There are generally four types of contract that can be taken out with an estate agent, which are as follows: 

1. ‘Sole Selling’ – only the estate agent has the right to sell, or even let, your property. If you find a buyer yourself you’ll still have to pay the estate agent fees. 
2. ‘Sole Agency’ – again with this contract the estate agent is the only agent with the right to sell your property, however if you find your own buyer you won’t have to pay the agent. 
3. ‘Multi Agency’ – this simply means that you can use several agents, to market your property, but only have to pay the agent who makes the sale. 
4. ‘Ready, Willing and Able Buyer’ – with this contract you’re committed to pay the estate agent commission if they find you a buyer, but you choose to withdraw from the sale.

Unless you have a ‘Sole Selling’ contract, you can still advertise your property privately using our services as we are not an estate agent.

Estate agents are essentially the middle-men of property, and are not necessary for a successful sale. It is your solicitor who will deal with all of the legalities that arise once you’ve found a buyer, not the estate agent.

After finding a buyer for your property, you should contact your solicitor regarding the following: 

• Conveyance 
• Creating a contract for the transaction 
• Communication with the buyers’ solicitor

Once the buyers’ solicitor has completed their necessary searches you should be ready to agree on a completion date, sign and exchange contracts. Simple!

Does where I live affect me?

No. The Big Move Online will advertise your property, regardless of location, and our site is easily accessible throughout the UK to all sellers that want to sell privately

Once my listing goes live will I be still be able to update it?

Yes. You will have 24 hour access to your listing and can change any of your property details at any time you wish.

Will I need a ‘For Sale’ sign?

We understand that not everyone has internet access and want to maximise your sale potential as a customer. That’s why The Big Move Online gives you the option to include a high-quality professional ‘For Sale’ sign with your listing. Opting for the ‘For Sale’ sign is the perfect way to advertise your property on a local basis, and attract any potential buyer who happens to be passing by in your area. Plus, you still have the benefit of your internet advertisement.

Our signs are customised to your individual property, and will bear your unique identification code, plus your contact number. This means that the potential buyer passing by has two options:

1. they can contact you immediately by telephone and make an arrangement to view your property
2. they can access The Big Move Online website and easily locate your property, using your property’s identification code, and view your listing. They can then decide whether to contact you to ask any further questions about the property or arrange a viewing.

View our for sale sign by clicking here

How much will The Big Move Online charge to advertise my property?

The Big Move Online offer a range of advertsing options for you to market your property from Free to £140

Please click here to compare our packages