13 January 2010
According to reports the Conservative Party has promised that if it comes into power in the next general election in 2010 then it will be abolishing the controversial Home Information Packs or HIPs, which were brought in by the Labour government. The promise to abolish HIPs, which have been at the centre of controversy since they were brought in, was made by the Shadow Housing Minister Grant Schapps.
Schapps stated that the abolition of the HIPs would be within weeks of the Conservative Party coming into power. However, whilst the Tories have said that HIPs will be abolished it has emerged that one part of the Home Information Pack, which is the Energy Performance Certificate or EPC, will still be required. Officials have said, however, that this is the most time consuming part of the HIP and the part that costs the most money.
Some officials have said that EPCs are not worth the time and money that has to be invested in them because they are largely inaccurate. It is claimed that the results of an EPC can vary widely depending on who has entered the data, and that they are not accurately measures in the same way as energy ratings on specific appliances such as refrigerators or cookers.
In a recent report Ross Clarke from the Mail on Sunday said that he had two EPCs carried out on his property, and whereas one gave a reading of forty two the other gave a reading of thirty two, reflecting the inaccuracy of these surveys.
He added that in getting rid of the HIP but retaining the EPC the Tories would be getting things the wrong way around, as the EPC seems to be the most inaccurate part of the pack whereas other information contained in the HIP could actually be of use to consumers.
Tags: Conservative Party, energy ratings, Energy Performance Certificate, Energy in the United Kingdom, Labour Government, Home Information Pack