Residential conveyancing solicitors are being consulted by The Law Society on possible alternatives to Home Information Packs (HIPs), work which has become more pressing with an announcement by the shadow housing minister Grant Shapp that the Conservatives plan to scrap the existing HIPs if they are elected.
TransactionPlus is the name of the option being worked on by The Law Society. It is planned to have common conveyancing procedures and completion-ready packs, including the contract, and is aimed at streamlining home sales while offering consumer protection and information.
Many of the property lawyers who responded to the society's request for suggestions to improve the current system said they would be interested in a new accreditation scheme. However, they were unsure about the benefits of requiring home sellers to provide more information than is already available through HIPs.
