"Steve Firth" wrote in message
.. .
tim..... wrote:

"Steve Firth" wrote in message
...
tim..... wrote:

"Steve Firth" wrote in message
. ..
Stuart Noble wrote:

Without the energy survey it seems like a sensible idea, rather
like a
log book for the house. All the tedious stuff gets done in advance,
which has to be beneficial for both parties.

Except it's not. I for one will not trust a survey that I have not
commissioned and at present it's unclear who is responsible should
the
HIP turn out to be inaccurate.

There is no survey in a HIP

A complete waste of time and money then aren't they?

Not if you are buying a flat and previously the answer to
the question "how many years are left on the lease"
was "I don't know".

Well, overlooking the fact that the real reason for HIPs was that Tony
"****wit" Blair caught a cold repeatedly on property transactions and
that he was extremely ****ed when he "lost" hudnreds of thosuands of
pounds when he sold his place in Islington. The example you give is
contrived

It's not. It's the first question that I ask when I have received
details of a flat that interest me. The reply is usually along the
lines of "we don't know, we'll find out before exchange". My
answer is that "I shan't be viewing before they find out".
Sometimes they find out, sometimes they don't.

and implies a mendacious vendor

(I had to look that word up!), uncommitted is the word I
would use (hence the reason for my not being bothered
if I don't ever get to see the property)

and a brain dead solicitor and

Solicitor's are not involved at the stage I was referring to.

client. Does it not occur to you that a vendor willing to lie in the
circumstances you refer to will lie when preparing a HIP?

It does occur to me yes. But I obviously have a higher opinion
of my fellow man that you do (no surprises there). ISTM that
the penalties in place for not doing it right will mean that most
people will do it right (for those things which are of a purely
factual nature). I don't believe that the average person will go
around falsifying such info out of laziness and risk a fine, or
worse. The solicitor will find out later that they have lied and
I'd be adjusting my offer according, sending them a bill for my
costs (as per the misdeclaration act) if the deals breaks down
at that point.

tim