LMS reveals 150,000 pre-launch HIPs

The provider claims the packs are in strong demand by brokers, lenders and estate agencies keen to be ready for ‘H Day’.

Following the government’s victory in the debate on HIPs in the House of Commons last week it is now certain that from 1 June this year it will be compulsory for virtually all residential properties to have a pack in place when they are marketed.

LMS has announced pricing from £249 for a HIP, which includes placing the property on the company’s unique Home Navigator system that enables prospective home buyers to view houses and flats for sale from the air using satellite and aerial photography via the agent’s website.

LMS has also ‘ring-fenced’ nearly 200,000 personal searches for its HIPs in advance to guarantee the pricing of its packs and avoid the problems created by huge variances in the cost of local authority full searches.

Dominic Toller, director of marketing and new business at LMS, said: “A large proportion of estate agencies are getting their act together and ensuring they are properly prepared for HIPs from 1 June, and brokers and lenders need to rise to this challenge as well if they are to maximise their mortgage businesses.

“The LMS proposition is proving exceptionally popular due to our own in-house DEA workforce (150 already at the end of their training) and our guaranteed personal search capacity which ensures clients are not exposed to the wide variations in time and costs incurred with local authority searches.

“This, together with our market-leading pricing, has been behind the enormous success of our HIPs well before ‘H-Day’.

“With the Commons decision effectively ending the debate on HIPs, those people who have held off from doing anything about packs will now have to move very quickly indeed if they are to provide a HIP service which can compete in time.”