Hips.co.uk forced to let 30 employees go
A company that had geared-up operations in readyness for the original HIPs launch-date of June 1st 2007, has had to make 30 newly recruited and trained staff redundant.
The East Anglian Daily Times (EADT) reports that Hips.co.uk - part of the large Spicerhaart group - has had to lay-off staff because they now feel the new HIPs implementation is in "limbo", following the Govt's announcement on Wednesday that HIPs will now launch on August 1st 2007 and would only apply to 4-bedroom properties and larger until there were enough fully accredited DEAs.
Stephen Nation, managing director of hips.co.uk, told the paper that:
the new rules meant only one in five properties on Spicerhaart's books would need the new pack.
This is not a good time for all concerned. I know that Legal Marketing Services (LMS) - another large HIP-provider - has been similarly recruting staff at their Cheshire office in Ellesmere Port as recently as last week. There will be many others, I'm sure, who will be re-assessing their investments.
