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Today's Headlines:
Disaster for 1,000 trainees as HIP firm goes under
16 comments
At least 1,000 people training to be Domestic Energy Assessors are thought to have been caught
'Proof that HIPs are not harming market', claims AHIPP
13 comments
A report from Connells about increasing valuation activity has led to AHIPP claiming that it is
New tool will allow agents to list properties anywhere
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Agents can now use ‘spidering’ technology directly, to send their own property listings to any number
FindaProperty unveils new iPhone app
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Property portal FindaProperty has today released its new app for iPhones. The move coincides with Hamptons International
Vizzihome gets in on the app action
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Market intelligence provider Vizzihome has also launched an iPhone app. The application allows users to search properties
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So, do you really want to write a successful blog? Use Twitter? And all that social
Awards judged by the public attract record entries
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The Estas – the Estate Agent and Letting Agent Awards 2010 – have attracted record entries. The
Spicerhaart opens two more 'super branches'
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Spicerhaart has opened two more ‘super branches’ as part of what it describes as a £3m
Agent's quiz raises £600 for charity
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The Christmas quiz run by Jonathan Hammond of Hammond Harwood in Nottingham, has raised nearly £600
Our man's in the pink
2 comments
Hush! Please keep your voices down! And do you have any water (no bubbles, please, as
News Story
Dodgy HIP suppliers leave search agents high and dry
Monday 16th November 2009Two startling claims have been made by HIPs-related personal search agents.
The Independent Association of Personal Search Agents (IPSA) says its members have had to write off a huge amount of debt from dodgy HIP suppliers.
It says the bad debts are due to non-payment, liquidation, fraud and improper business conduct on the part of HIP suppliers, most of whom it alleges belonged to recognised bodies.
Separately, it claims that search documents from a large number of local authorities are non-compliant. It has issued one ‘blacklist’ and expects to issue a second. It is taking the matter up with Communities and Local Government.
IPSA – formed in 2006 and representing about half the personal search industry – said that in a survey of just under half its 150 members, around £800,000 of work has been unpaid. Christian Lister, IPSA chairman, said the final tally of bad debt could easily exceed seven figures.
He claimed that most of the HIP companies that had failed to pay were registered with AHIPP or the Property Code Compliance Board (PCCB).
He said: “These institutions set industry standards and are there to give the consumer confidence in the quality of the product they are purchasing. Some HIP companies would trade for 30, 60 or 90 days before disappearing.”
He added that most HIP providers took payment from search providers upfront. If the HIP companies then did not pay for their property searches, it raised important questions as to ownership of elements of the HIP, and as to what the professional indemnity insurance of the search providers would cover.
Lister described the situation as a “consumer’s worst nightmare”.
In its second claim, IPSA said it is advising its members not to buy official search documents from a number of local authorities as it claims they are not HIP compliant under Schedule 6 of the HIP regulations.
Lister said it did not necessarily mean that house sales in the areas were blighted, as in most cases the information could be obtained elsewhere. “Fortunately, it is something of a misconception that local councils are the only bodies holding information. For example, if it is to do with listed buildings or roads, we can get that information elsewhere.”
Following action under the Freedom of Information law, IPSA has told its members not to include searches from any of the following:
- Wakefield
- Leeds
- Hambleton
- Wirral
- Wiltshire
- Cheshire West and Chester
- North West Leicestershire
- Birmingham
- Leicester
- Brent
- Warwick
- Coventry
- Redbridge
- Harrow
- Knowsley
- Greenwich
- Kensington & Chelsea
- Welsh Water
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Posted By I B Seldom-Lucid on Tuesday 17th November 2009 19:26:10
 Get Profile | The PCCB will seek revenge on you Lister. Your not playing the game. All the power in the world to your elbow, young man. |
Posted By Justin Time on Tuesday 17th November 2009 15:40:30
Get Profile | ulidian - I sympathise with you. I was given the same brush off from the 'regulators'. Not sure how they square that with their usual mantra of consumer protection. |
Posted By Darth Finch on Monday 16th November 2009 19:38:03
Get Profile | IPSA rebel scum! the galactic PCCB empire will stop you and your little friends, once we have control over the Estate Agents there will be no stopping me! |
Posted By Mike doesn’t like Chris on Monday 16th November 2009 17:28:27
Get Profile | ‘Ere Lister stop messin’ abahht! Let's print more HIPs!! |
Posted By Colin on Monday 16th November 2009 16:20:16
Get Profile | Why did these search Agents allow such bad debts to grow, this Business never ceases to amaze me with the naievety,maybe the TPs should create a Business studies course as nearly everyone in thsi line of Business needs it! Why weren't credit checks done or credit limits imposed, COD to new Businesses should be commonplace. None of these bad debts by the way have come from IPPA members ( www.theippa.org.uk), local suppliers for local Businesses is the way it should be done! |
Posted By taking bets on Monday 16th November 2009 16:04:27
Get Profile | Knuckles – pish! my money would be on the “northern scrapper” Lister – that boy does no wrong. He punches above his weight, defends his members, lobbys with authority and tells it like it is, in fact that boy should be Prime Minister. |
Posted By Nick,snr on Monday 16th November 2009 16:04:16
Get Profile | Hi,DEA. You have my simpathy but yes you own the EPC. The problem is that the vendor or their agent will probably have paid the dodgy Hip provider so your chance of getting paid again is slim. They may also be in possession of the Hip already. You have a chance if the Hips are on Hipview.co.uk as Pali will block access to them if you have not been paid. Go onto Hipview and put in the postcode. If it comes up 'phone "Nick" on 0151 691 1170. He will be pleased to help. |
Posted By Property Insider on Monday 16th November 2009 15:46:07
Get Profile | So let me get this straight. AHIPP's member firms are guilty of "non-payment, liquidation, fraud and improper business conduct"? You want to be careful, Rosalind. You'll have 'knuckles' Ockenden on your case with one of his empty legal threats. It appears Knuckles should get his own house in order before he criticises or threatens to sue everyone in the business. I wonder if AHIPP has a legal case to answer as the umbrella organisation for a number of potentially shady HIP providers. |
Posted By ulidian on Monday 16th November 2009 15:01:27
Get Profile | I have been chasing HIP-save for none payment of EPC and I found out I am not the only one. Contacted HIP Code, to which HIP-save is registered, but they tell me none payment of debts is not a HIP Code concern. Therefore as long as the company produce HIP compliant HIPs any other dodgy business act is of no concern to HIP Code. My only avenue left is the local county court. P.S. Does anyone know the name of the person who runs HIP-Save? |
Posted By in response to DEA on Monday 16th November 2009 12:13:46
Get Profile | DEA - write to the vendors (you have all the addresses) and tell them that the EPC belongs to you and that you have never been paid for them. |
Posted By Alan on Monday 16th November 2009 11:51:24
Get Profile | DEA In reply to your question. Do not issue the company the EPCs until you have received payment. If they don't pay you you can either claim your through CCJ or do do nothing. Join the IDEA SOMEONE THERE MAY BE ABLE TO ADVISE YOU BETTER. If you give them the EPCs you will no doubt loose everything so stick to your guns and demand payment. GOOD LUCK |
Posted By PAUL MILLIKEN on Monday 16th November 2009 11:18:57
See Profile or post comment on PAUL MILLIKEN's wall | Shock! Horror! Well established firms could see the cowboys coming out to lure estate agents with their promises and boasts. We tried to warn agents of the dangers, but maxing profit without regard to quality or experience was common. The cowboys will come and go and the professional firms will survive this chaos with luck and hard work. Agents - remember that blue-chip firm that approached you early on oozing knowledge, experience and professionalism? Give him a call in these last few months of HIPs and see how it should have been done. |
Posted By ): DEA :( on Monday 16th November 2009 11:12:03
Get Profile | What is the position with me, a self employed one-woman band DEA/EPC provider, barely making a living out of thsi professuion, who has not beeen paid for the EPCs I provided to HIP TEAM 1/SERVICES 4 PROPERTIES who I believ are in administration. Do I still own the EPCs - thereby are the HIPs that are out there with my EPCs in them somehow void? How can I follow this up at all - is there anything I can do? Thanks. |
Posted By Nick.snr on Monday 16th November 2009 10:59:50
Get Profile | It is always the same when new legislation creates a new business opportunity, the cowboys ride into town. Dodgy Geezers start new business’s. Some are incompetent and don’t have a clue how to run a business. Some have the best of intensions but changes in legislation leave them high and dry, Others are just dishonest and try to make as much money as they can, as quickly as they can then vanish. Pali is one of the major Hip providers and also provides searches for other Hip providers. Getting paid by these other Hip providers is becoming increasingly difficult and quite a few have gone out of business owing us money. The difference with Pali is that even though these Hip providers have vanished, in most cases the Hips have not and are available on Hipview.co.uk. The same old caveats apply. Check out the company before giving them business. If they have no history they probably have no future. Pali were here long before Hips and will be here long after they have gone. Nick.snr. Pali Ltd. |
Posted By Alan on Monday 16th November 2009 10:53:25
Get Profile | Your comments are incorrect Mr Brightmove, HIPs do work it's just that some companies like Poloticians needs to be checked for compliance like all memebers of the Independant Pack Providers Association (IPPA) then you would get correct searches and HIPS. There are good suppliers out there if you do your reasearch correctly. |
Posted By Mr Brightmove on Monday 16th November 2009 08:03:36
Get Profile | This just goes to show that HIPs are just not working. They need to be scapped altogether in order to stimulate movement in the property market. |
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If you have any questions or suggestions about this article or our news section, please don't hesitate to contact us.Editorial Contact Details - Rosalind Renshaw | rosalind.renshaw@estateagenttoday.co.uk | 01252 843 566.
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