HIPS - searches valid for three months only

[PatsyCline]

I just wanted to flag something for anyone who is buying a house which has been on the market for a while. The new HIP packs contain searches which are only valid for three months.

We are buying a house with a HIP which was prepared in August and we are now having to pay for the searches to be redone. As I have already paid out for the searches for the HIP on my own house I am not happy!

Some HIP providers offer to renew searches for free for six months to one year, but if your seller hasn't gone with a firm which offers this then it seems that the onus is on you to pay. If any lovely conveyancing solicitor reading this knows differently then I would be happy to hear that I am wrong.

Patsy

We are selling our house and our estate agent is paying for our HIPP (and it's renewal if needed) in fact all 4 estate agents offered to pay.

I can understand that you are not happy though!

I thought you needed to do searches again yourself anyway ?

McDreamy - there's no such thing as a free lunch, those 'free' packs won't belong to you, but to the estate agent so if you're not happy with them they'll charge you for the HIP. No doubt at a higher price.

We paid just under £300 for our hip and it's valid for a year (or so we've been told).

We have to stay with the same estate agent for 3 months, they pay for the HIPP after 3 months we are free to go with another estate agent without paying for HIPP (as it would have expired anyway). I thought the cost would be covered in raising their rates but they are very competitive.