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The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) is infuriated that the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has decided to try to use estate agents as a scapegoat for the problems of Home Information Packs (HIP). However, a full reading of the research document reveals much more than suggested by the CLG’s own press release earlier this month.
Stewart Lilly, President, NAEA, comments on the MORI HIP research: “The industry continues to be willing to work with the government. However, it is extremely negative of the government to bring out research now based on trials in an attempt to blame agents for all the problems of the HIPs roll-out when they have bulldozed HIPs through despite repeated concerns and warnings from the industry.”
Peter Bolton King, Chief Executive, NAEA, said, “Clearly desperate to say something positive, the press release concentrated on the seller’s perception of the HIP. Eight out of ten felt that it contained everything they expected – well I would hope so, it is, after all, their home. Nowhere did the press release concentrate on the buyers. After all, the legislation was actually brought out for the benefit in order to give them up front information about the property they are looking to buy.”
“Only 29 per cent of sellers who actually sold a property with HIP felt that it made the process more efficient. As far as buyers were concerned, only 20 per cent felt that the HIP sped up the buying process and 41 per cent of buyers thought that a HIP made the buying process more difficult. Perhaps one of the most telling figures was that 76 per cent reported that the HIP had no effect on their decision to buy.“
“It is a pity that the government chose to ignore what we and other stakeholders said to them over the last few years. At the end of the day, it is the consumer who is losing out,” King added.
Editor: Simon Weston-www.myfirsthomeltd.co.uk
Blog: www.myfirsthomeblog.com
Email: simon.weston@myfirsthomeltd.com
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