Home Information Packs rolled out

The extension of the scheme means that anyone selling a home will now need to ensure that they have a pack in place containing, among other documents, an energy performance certificate and standards searches.

HIPs are aimed at cutting the number of transactions that collapse late in the day. But their introduction has faced strong opposition from critics who claim they add to the cost of moving for very little benefit.

The packs came into force for homes with four or more bedrooms in England and Wales on August 1, and three-bedroom properties on September 10.

They must contain an energy performance certificate, information on whether the property is freehold or leasehold, standard searches, evidence of title and information on the lease if it is a leasehold property - although this last part is being phased in next year.

But home condition reports, which were originally envisaged to be part of the pack, are now only a voluntary part of a HIP.

The aim of the seller's pack is to speed up the home-buying process by giving potential buyers more of the information they need upfront.

But critics have claimed that they will distort the housing market, lead to a fall in the number of starter homes put up for sale and make it harder for people to get on to the property ladder.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors have warned that the full introduction of the packs would wipe 300,000 properties off estate agents' books as home owners baulked at the idea of paying £300 to £500 just to get an idea of how much they could sell their property for.

Independent research commissioned by the Government found no evidence of any impact on transactions, prices or mortgages.