The British Government’s forced postponement in introducing its highly controversial Home Information Packs (HIPs) is set to further complicate navigation of the UK residential property market for millions of consumers.

The delay and then only partial incorporation of HIPs is sure to create added confusion in the UK property market as sellers grapple with marketing a house as having, for instance, only three bedrooms plus a ‘spare room’, in order to avoid the cost of having to commission an inspector to rate the property in line with the HIP specifications.

HIPs, which have created a fierce backlash from the UK property industry, were due to be fully introduced this coming Friday (June 1), however they will now undergo a phased introduction from August 1 and initially only affect houses with four or more bedrooms.

The initiative was originally flagged by the UK Government a decade ago in May 1997, and was aimed at reducing the incidence of ‘gazumping’ in the market by providing potential buyers with more information on a property.

Gazumping is the act of potential buyers, having had their offer to purchase a property accepted, loosing out at the last minute to a higher bid.

The Blair government subsequently included an additional requirement for HIPs relating to energy efficiency of a property.

This data includes the date, construction and location of a house and its relevant fittings (heating systems, insulation or double glazing, for example).

For sellers, providing a HIP is meant to reduce the potential for unexpected surprises during the selling process that may delay a sale, by allowing buyers to make more informed decisions on the property.

Meanwhile for the buyer, HIPs are meant to provide essential information on a property being considered.