Hips packs are so useless, as are the rip off pack providers, that their is no official complaints procedure..
So not only do you get riped off, but you have to go through the procedure below, or jump straight to the county courts to get recompense.
The Torries have pledged to scrap HIPS so vote Torrie at the next election and get rid of this rubbish..
Home Information Packs – a guide for HIP providers
Complaints procedures for Home Information Pack providers
Currently, there is no mandatory complaints procedure for Home Information Pack (HIP) providers. The handling of a complaint against you depends on whether you are a member of the Association of Home Information Pack Providers (AHIPP) or a similar organisation.
If you are not an AHIPP member, there may be no formal redress scheme. However, the complainant could seek legal redress.
If you are a member, the complainant may use the Independent Property Codes Adjudication Scheme (IPCAS) when:
they have exhausted your complaints procedure
they have asked you or the scheme administrator for a complaints application form and brought the claim within three months of the last communication from you.
The dispute does not involve a claim for more than £5,000, including consequential damages and VAT, for any one consumer – any element for inconvenience will be limited to £250 per claim
the dispute does not involve a complicated issue of law
the dispute is not subject to an existing or previous court action unless that action is suspended or discontinued by agreement between the parties or by order of the court
How the complaints procedure works
The complainant must ask you or the scheme administrator for an IPCAS Adjudication Claim Form, if endorsed by you.
If you are registered with the Property Codes Compliance Board you must accept an application for adjudication under the IPCAS if the dispute has not been resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction by your internal complaints-handling procedure.
The complainant’s application must give reasons for items claimed and should include details of:
events leading to the dispute
the precise nature of the dispute
grounds for claiming the items or remedy sought
reasons for the amount of compensation sought
The application can be supported by documentation, but should not consist only of correspondence.
What happens next?The administrator will send you a copy of the claim. You have 14 working days from date of receipt to respond to the claim or to provide written confirmation that the claim has been settled and how. Failing this, the adjudicator will determine the dispute by considering the complainant’s information only.
The IPCAS then sends the complainant your reply and gives them seven days to make final comments, which the administrator then sends to you. An independent adjudicator is appointed.
Decisions and outcomes
The adjudicator will usually make a decision within six weeks of application. The administrator will provide you and the complainant with a copy of the decision and its rationale. If the adjudicator agrees with the complaint, you may have to:
apologise or explain
take practical action that benefits the complainant
pay compensation up to £5,000 including VAT
change your policies or procedures
The complainant should then contact the IPCAS within six weeks of the date of the decision to say whether they accept it. If they do, you will need to pay compensation within four weeks. If you do not accept the decision, you may take the dispute to court.
If any party has a complaint about the IPCAS, adjudicator or a member of the administrator’s staff then the complaint should be made by following the administrator’s complaints procedure.
HIPs are compulsory for most homes marketed for sale in England and Wales.
Complaints about Independent Pack Providers Association members
All companies belonging to the Independent Pack Providers Association (IPPA) are required to appoint a person to handle complaints.
If you want to make a complaint about an IPPA member, you should address your complaint in writing to the person responsible for handling complaints.
All complaints will be acknowledged within one week and you can expect a decision within four weeks. Find information on how to complain about an IPPA member on the IPPA website – Opens in a new window.
Filed under: Avoid hips and home sellers pack, avoid hips home sellers packs
