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First day marketing petition launches

01 May 2009
Written by rosalind renshaw

Nick Salmon, founder of anti-HIP lobbying group SPLINTA, has launched a new petition on the Downing Street website.

Available until the end of April next year, it is calling for first day marketing to be restored.

The petition is open for both estate agents and members of the public, as well as other interested parties, to sign.

This week, Estate Agent Today carried over 30 responses from readers to a story about AHIPP setting up a Tory action group.

Some of the posts claimed that agents had been unable to mention a property about to come on the market because of new rules on marketing – to the alleged detriment of the sellers. In one case, a stroke victim moving into care had apparently become very distressed on being told that her home could not be put up for sale until she had completed a PIQ.

The new petition reads as follows:

“From April 6, 2009, home sellers and their estate agents have been prevented from even mentioning to potential buyers that a property is coming up for sale until most of the Home Information Pack is complete. First Day Marketing has been taken away from us. This inability to begin marketing a property at will is detrimental to home sellers, frustrating for estate agents, reduces buyer choice, and is damaging the already fragile housing market. It is also a burden to home owners in financial difficulty and needing to begin marketing quickly. First Day Marketing should therefore be restored.”

Salmon said he had decided to keep the petition open for a year partly to allow agents and the public to voice their feelings over a sufficient period of time: “And also because there will probably be a General Election in the month after the petition closes, and it could send a powerful message to the Conservatives, if they get in, to help them understand the strength of feeling.”

The Tories have promised to scrap HIPs should they win the next election.

The petition is at: https://petitions.number10.gov.uk/restorefdm/

Comments

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    Great Petition has my support

    • 01 May 2009 18:10 PM
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    RAY, I COULDN'T PUT IT BETTER MYSELF.

    • 01 May 2009 14:48 PM
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    1. I have been an Estate & Letting agent with my own firm for over 30 years - so I should know something.
    2. HIP's were, and are, un-neccessary. All that was and is required is that solicitors must be instructed to prepare documents as soon as the proerty is marketed.
    3. 'Surveys' carried out by AHIPP itself 'prove' that they are welcomed - isn't that just amazing!

    • 01 May 2009 13:50 PM
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    Would that by any chance be the same Nigel Farren (of Homes Matter), whose internet profile suggests the following long experience and initmate knowledge of estate agency?:
    "I have over 30 years management, sales and marketing experience in banking, publishing and new media including responsibility for establishing new ventures and implementing change in mature businesses."

    • 01 May 2009 12:46 PM
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    Here's another petition asking Gordon Brown to just go. Unsurprisingly, it is the largest petition on the site ://petitions.number10.gov.uk/please-go/#detail

    • 01 May 2009 12:12 PM
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    SPLINTA - please ignore Mr farrens comments and keep the pressure on to reinstate 1st day marketing (half the agents seem to be ignoring this law which causes confusion and more bad publicity.)

    • 01 May 2009 12:10 PM
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    With respect, it really is time that SPLINTA stops focusing on the negatives of HIPs and instead gets behind the development of an exchange ready pack for the benefit of consumers and the industry. (aren't most agents now making money out of HIPs?) SPLINTA is misguided if it thinks the Conservatives will scrap HIPs. What they really want to see is the NAEA, Law Soc, RICS and AHIPP etc working together to come up with an exchange-ready pack that the home selling and buying industry positively markets and promotes to sellers and buyers. Over to you, Grant Shapps to bang heads together - I am sure you could do it!

    • 01 May 2009 11:42 AM
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    We can all try and avoid the delay but some clients will be concerned over doing this so we must get this stupid law changed. "Hips were brought it by this Labour Government to save time when buying a property!!!!! what a great idea lets delay owners from putting their homes on the market, thats bound to speed up up the selling process!!!"

    • 01 May 2009 11:32 AM
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    Is ANY Company taking any serious notice of this ridiculous legislation; one that removes the freedom of our client, the opportunity from our buyers and the entrepreneurial spirit of the estate agent?

    • 01 May 2009 11:25 AM
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    Things are getting better within the industry, as technology seems to have given the industry a boost to another level over the past few years, which eases the stigma attached to the Estate Agent. HIPS and EPC's move the industry further backwards rather than forwards. As if there wasn't enough paperwork in the first place.

    • 01 May 2009 11:23 AM
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    HIPS ARE A COMPLETE JOKE.

    • 01 May 2009 10:24 AM
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