HIPs Will Instead be Phased-in
It's official - Home Information Packs will be delayed until 1st August 2007.
Ruth Kelly has relented and come to a compromise with the RICs in a bid to avoid a Judicial Review. The main contention, it seems, is the numbers of available DEAs to carry out the work of issuing the energy performance certificates on June 1st.
She revealed the latest numbers of DEAs at various stages of qualification:
- 2500 DEAs currently in training
- 1500 DEAs qualified and either in the accreditation pipeline, or fully accredited
- 520 DEAs fully qualified and fully accredited - Waiting to work
Clearly, nowhere near enough to service the hitherto planned national enforcement of HIPs.
Phased Launch of HIPs Begin with 4-Bedroomed Homes and Larger
So, part of the "pragmatic way forward" the Govt has agreed with the RICs, HIPs will now roll-out on August 1st, beginning with 4-bedroomed houses and larger.
Further, so long as the homeowner has commissioned an EPC, then they will be allowed to immediately market their property for sale with the proviso that the completed HIP will be available on exchange of contracts.
As time goes on, other classes of property will be phased-in - though no timelines have been expressed (yet).
More as I watch and learn (Sheesh, more Parliament TV viewing!)
Social Housing Will Provide Intermediary Work for DEAs
The Minister also announced that Social Housing providers and Landlords will be urged to, "voluntarily", have energy performance certificates undertaken on their housing stock during the hiatus, in a bid to provide work to DEAs who have, or shortly will have, qualified and accredited.
This, I'm sure, will come as a relief to those who have qualified but have been holding-back paying their final fees for accreditation due to the uncertainty created in recent weeks. It also gives them the opportunity to hone their newly-learnt skills by providing real-world on-the-job experience, as opposed to the limited exposure required for the DipDEA qualification (5 energy assessments).
