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Packs were launched 2 years ago yesterday (seems
longer doesn't it?) and to celebrate their last birthday
(if the Conservatives win), Shadow Housing Minister
Grant Shapps decked a nice little semi in Meadow Drive
Hendon with miles of red ribbon. Christmas present it
was not, the festive wrapping intending to represent
the Red Tape of Labour's failed HIP policy, and Mr
Shapps was there to rend it asunder for the
assembled press.
A rather apprehensive
David and Helen Wright, owners of said property, stood
huddled in the porch clasping a copy of a Pack to their
bosoms, probably for protection, as the formidable
MP strode towards them purposefully.
He had two weapons of choice
to free the Wrights from their legally restrictive,
useless yet expensive cocoon of tape - shears or
bolt-cutters. He opted for the former ( Mr Smith had
probably supplied the latter - he's a locksmith!) and,
hey presto, the red satin fell to earth for all the
world like feint rivulets of blood sucked
straight from the hearts of the 1,754,492 home sellers
who have suffered at the hands of Labour Housing
Ministers in the last two years. And bleed they should
as Shapps reminded us that the failed HIP
policy had cost the public a staggering £782,668
a day.
The flow temporally stemmed,
I asked the, hopefully, soon to be Housing Minister why agents
and owners now appear to have to wait 100 days
before he can give HIPs the surgery they so deserve, and
how did he think agents will be able to comply with the
existing law when virtually no HIP producer
firms will be left one day after the election.
He was confident, however, that a possibly reduced
number of suppliers would still see an opportunity
for additional profit by staying active until the
last day, and he pointed out that many would remain to
do Energy Performance Certificates that will still
be needed for all sales and rentals.
In my opinion, for what its
worth, HIPS will have to be temporally suspended on day
one whilst consultations progress, otherwise chaos and
wide-spread flouting will be the name of the game. How can Agents
delay marketing their clients homes when there are no
HIP Producers left to produce HIPs - a conundrum indeed?
I just hope Grant
Shapps doesn't weaken the day after the battle is
won and move to appease the few pro-HIP
vested interests by watering down these
currently admirable and terminal plans.
Reparations should not be considered under any
circumstances.
Trevor Kent
16/12/09
This article first appeared
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