It was confirmed last week that the Home Information Pack (Hip) scheme will be extended to three-bedroom homes, amid further criticism of the programme.

The communities department announced that the controversial system would be extended to three-bedroom houses on 10 September. Four-bedroom houses have been sold with Hips since 1 August.

The rollout means 60% of the housing stock will be covered by the scheme. Only 17% was covered when Hips were limited to four-bedroom houses. Hips are expected to be extended again to smaller properties by the end of the year.

The RICS said the government was acting hastily. A spokesperson said: 鈥淭he government has no idea how this will affect the housing market. It is yet to publish the findings from last year鈥檚 flawed 鈥榙ry run鈥� exercise, where the packs were handed out for free. Perhaps the results were not to its liking.鈥�

The government has no idea how this will affect the housing market

RICS spokesperson

Meanwhile, the National Audit Office (NAO) published a report damning the introduction of Hips and accusing the communities department of using consultants with a 鈥減otential conflict of interest鈥� in planning the scheme.

The NAO report states: 鈥漁n 25 May 2006 RICS raised the department鈥檚 attention to a potential conflict of interest. The directors of PIR [Christopher Legrand and Richard Theobald] developing the certification scheme continued to retain a financial interest in NES, the parent of SAVA, a company seeking approval to run a certification scheme.鈥�

Postscript

The NAO says it will submit a fuller report on Hips next year.

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