The return of HIPs

You didn't think I'd forgotten had you?  In two days it will be the belated launch of the Home Information Packs.  The watered down, meaningless, poorly thought out, incompetently implemented scheme will going live on 1st August for all properties with four or more bedrooms.  No doubt there will be plenty of horror stories over the coming months associated with the HIPs scheme.  The latest fear is that the Valuation Office Agency, the body responsible for deciding a property's council tax band, is said to have applied for access to the information, which it could then use to assess tax rates.  It has been described as "backdoor council tax revaluation" by the Tories.  

There is little physical evidence to back this claim up, but given that the government is desperate to gather as much information on our properties to boost council tax bills, it does seem credible.  Eric Pickles, the shadow secretary of state for local government and communities sums it up nicely - "-You'll have to pay the state to inspect your home - and help the tax man hike your council tax bill-."  And that is effectively what sellers will be doing as there is virtually no benefit that I can glean from this whole exercise.  

To be continued...