Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) – Separating fact from fiction

In the second half of last year, a number of the UK’s leading papers carried headlines stating  “New HIP plot to force up our Council Tax bills”.

The articles stated there was a plan that the recently introduced Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ), which becomes a compulsory document within the HIP as from 6 April, is being used to increase Council Tax bills.

A property correspondent of one newspaper stated that Tory housing spokesman, Grant Shapps, said, “Behind the smokescreen of the Information Packs, Labour’s real agenda is to build up a property database of every home.  Property Information Questionnaires are most likely just another way of conducting Labour’s controversial Council Tax revaluation and re-banding by the back door”.

It was suggested that because the PIQ has information that reveals works carried out at the property and parking spaces, that this information would be used by the Government to increase Council Tax bands.

The problem with the article (and the inevitable rehashing of the argument certain to grace many column inches shortly before 6 April) is that it is factually flawed irrespective of whether or not such a government plan exists. 

There is, quite simply, no central database collecting the information within the Property Information Questionnaire (let alone a Home Information Pack) in existence, nor are there any plans, finances or some cynics might say, competencies to create such a database

The only information that is centralised and available to the Government is the information contained within the Energy Performance Certificate. 

In the circumstances, we strongly recommend our clients disregard this sort of scaremongering common in the UK press. 

The real danger is that in believing such fabrications, the public may well run the risk of giving inaccurate information in the Property Information Questionnaire and this could cause further problems later on in the transaction.  As the Property Information Questionnaire information is not centralised, one need not live in fear of the information being used against you by central or indeed Local Government. 

You are best advised, throughout the completion of the Property Information Questionnaire to always ensure that the Information Questionnaire is completed accurately.