Paying for a HIP which I have not received.

[PavlovtheCat]

When I put my flat on the market to sell, the estate agent offered a HIP for free on sale, and should the sale not occur for whatever reason, we would be charged £399 plus VAT.

We have seen no real evidence of the HIP actually ever being done, we have not been given a copy.

We have received an invoice as we are no longer selling. And it states that we have 14 days to pay or else interest of 3% above Barclays rate will be charged plus an admin fee of £150 as per contract.

Also that until we pay the HIP will remain the property of the agent, and once we have paid in full we will get a password to access it online .

I cannot for the life of me find any paperwork on the HIP, which must have existed. I am going to ask for a copy but expect they will take longer than 14 days to produce.

Are they able to keep this HIP until I pay up? How do I know they have even done it? Or correctly?

Can they do what the f they like as long as I sign a bit of paper?

bump

bump again. As no-one was up as early as me!

Anyone?

Sounds very dodgy to me. Suspiciously like an unfair contract term. Suggest you call Consumer Direct - google for the number (they advise you on your rights).

Go in ot the Estate Agents and ask to see the hard copy of your HIP.- Just to make sure it actually exists!

I think they are able to keep the HIP untill you've paid up, as techincally they have bought it, so it belongs to them.

Do you know which company did the HIP?

Lynette - in-house, they did it themselves.
Edam - good idea, I will give consumer direct a call. Find out for sure either way if they can do it.

A customer & the seller can see this document as they can't legally have advertized the property without one. Go in on a busy saturday & demand a copy.

Thats a good idea cupsoftea - we need to get our keys anyway as they have not returned them yet .

They will have been giving out the HIP on line to prospective buyers - so there must be one! - Have you taken the property off the market completely now? I was thinking you could pretend to be a buyer and get the HIP emailed to you!

Lynette - no its not on the market anymore. I had thought of that!

They can't take longer than 14 days to produce it as I asume they have details on computer for your property.

WHave been messed about before on this & even told we didn't have a hip & would have to pay again even though we had a recipt, had the document & they had been marketing the property. Don't take any excuses - get down to their office & be as loud as you can . It is unacceptable behaviour.