Estate Agents鈥� association slams government plans to push through Home Information Packs legislation

The National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) has expressed its bitter disappointment at the news that the government鈥檚 proposals to make 鈥榮ellers鈥� packs鈥� compulsory have passed through the House of Lords without major amendment. NAEA chief executive Peter Bolton King said: 鈥淗ome Information Packs will cause unnecessary delays and frustration to house buyers and sellers, and will inevitably have a negative inflationary effect on the market.鈥�

Mr Bolton King also criticised the Liberal Democrats for not standing firm with their calls for amendments to the bill, which will make the packs compulsory in 2007. 鈥淚t was frustrating that the Liberal Democrats failed to stick up for consumer rights when it mattered and did not support the amendment that they had previously championed,鈥� he said. Pilot schemes for the packs are due to start in 2006.