HIP complaints to go to Property Ombudsman

More complaints relating to estate agents, Home Information Packs, and HIP searches are now to be handled by the Property Ombudsman service.
 
The Property Ombudsman service has tied up with the Property Codes Compliance Board ( PCCB ), the body which oversees HIP and HIP search providers and ensures they comply with the HIP codes of practice.  

The move follows the publication of a Memorandum of Understanding earlier this year between the two bodies setting out plans for closer collaborative working.

The PCCB will now redirect new enquires about HIPs and HIP searches to the Property Ombudsman as part of an attempt to create a simplified redress system. A consumer can seek intervention by the ombudsman in disputes over HIP contents if cases are not resolved through the HIP or HIP search providers’ own complaints processes.

The Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer, has been resolving disputes with regard to estate agents’ actions involving HIPs since packs were introduced in 2007 but his scheme has now been extended to directly include the many HIP and search providers registered with the PCCB.

Property Ombudsman, Christopher Hamer,  says: “It is clearly a positive step that any consumer who feels disadvantaged because of something related to the estate agent, HIP, or personal search for a particular property now has one port of call for how the matter can be independently resolved.”

Chairman of the PCCB  Richard Footitt, stated: “Our role is to try to stop problems arising in the first place by ensuring that all PCCB-registered HIP and HIP search providers comply with the respective codes of practice. It makes sense to align our schemes to provide a single point of contact for consumers and independent redress for their complaints when things go wrong.”