Trials of the new Home Information Packs began in six areas of England on 6 November. It is planned that they will be launched throughout the rest of the country on 1 June 2007. The pilot areas are Bath, Cambridge, Huddersfield, Newcastle, Northampton and Southampton.

Every Pack will include Energy Performance Certificates, searches and other legal documents. The Home Condition Report will remain part of the Pack, but as an authorised document rather than a mandatory item. Qualified inspectors will carry out inspections on the energy efficiency and condition of properties.

The Government estimates that from June next year, between 2,500 and 4,500 properly trained inspectors will be needed to produce Energy Performance Certificates. This is in addition to the number of inspectors needed to meet demand for voluntary full Home Condition Reports. Further inspectors will be needed to prepare Energy Performance Certificates for rented properties when these become mandatory.

Energy Performance Certificates will give home buyers and sellers A to G ratings for their home’s energy efficiency to help cut carbon emissions and fuel bills. Homes already account for 27% of the UK’s carbon emissions contributing to global climate change.

The Energy Performance Certificate is designed to help homeowners reduce the environmental impact of their homes. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that by following the recommendations in an Energy Performance Certificate, an average of £300 a year can be saved in fuel bills. Energy Performance Certificates will become mandatory as part of Home Information Packs from next June.

Only those who are fully qualified and certificated will be allowed to prepare Energy Performance Certificates. The only qualification that currently exists that will enable the holders to carry out Energy Performance Certificates for Home Information Packs the Home Inspector qualification.

Source:
http://www.homeinformationpacks.gov.uk