Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Autohip is a web based application which has been designed to enable DEAs, Pack Providers, Estate Agents and Solicitors assemble HIPs quickly and with the minimum of effort. The platform is fully integrated using the latest econveyancing standards with search companies and the National Land Information Service channels to procure official documents electronically. This saves time and effort for the Pack Provider and ensures the fastest possible turnaround of the documents required to compile the HIP.

Autohip also provides support for agents and vendors. Automatic status updates can be sent to all parties informing them of the progress of the HIP. Vendors and Agents can log in and view the progress of the HIP and access it when complete. Agents can also send you orders online. You can control all of this communication and access by setting controls either per HIP or organisation wide.

With autohip you are the Pack Provider. You are in control of what is ordered, which search provider you use, communication with agents and vendors, which branding you wish to use, cover design, who has access to track the progress of the HIP, when the HIP is compiled and who it is sent to. Autohip is a highly automated self service platform. This means that you are not paying a third party to do tasks that the system can do automatically or you can do yourself.

Autohip is a complete web based HIP management platform that also provides support for your agents and vendors, it can also be integrated within your website. A white label HIP company normally provides a standard product with your logo on it with little or no support or control.

We have designed the platform specifically to support DEAs provide HIPs. We are continually developing the system to ensure it offers more features, more flexibility and greater reliability than our competition. Producing HIPs is highly regulated and the DEA HIP Provider can often be working on their own, support therefore is critical and we are geared up to offer advice, guidance and reassurance whenever it is required.

The Basic or Partial HIP required for marketing purposes can be compiled very quickly. The platform orders Land Registry documents using the latest econveyancing standards (PISCES) via an NLIS (National Land Information Service) channel. This means that the Official electronic copies of the Title Plan and Register are normally available within a few minutes. Exceptions would include Registers and Plans that aren’t available electronically and need to be posted to us or unregistered properties where a SIM is required. At the moment SIM results are not available electronically therefore there can be a few days delay whilst we wait for these to be delivered.

The electronic PIQ is sent by email to the vendor when the HIP is ordered; this can be downloaded, completed and resubmitted directly to the HIP by the vendor at the click of a button. The Basic HIP can be compiled as soon as the PIQ, EPC and Title Documents are received. For the majority of registered properties HIPs are normally ready to compile as soon as you upload the EPC.

The Complete HIP takes a little longer and can vary depending on the Local Authority or search company used. We monitor the performance of all search companies offered on the platform and publish this information on our website. Some companies are averaging less than 7 days to produce the personal local authority search whilst the national average is 14 days across all suppliers. You are therefore able to choose the search company based on their recent turnaround performance.

Autohip can be used on a platform only basis to assemble your own HIP components or you can utilise the speed and efficiency of the integrated ordering and let the platform order all of the required documents for you. To use the platform on its own costs £10 per HIP. To order all of the required documents for a freehold registered HIP would cost from £136.90 (+ vat). If all of the documents are ordered via the platform then there are no platform fees as our income is provided by the search companies. For full details of the pricing of individual components please see the pricing page on our website.

The HIP Regulations that govern HIP production specify the content and layout of HIPs. The autohip platform produces HIPS in accordance with these Regulations. The standard content generated by the platform i.e. the Index and Sales Statement are compliant and any documents sourced via the platform also comply with the Regulations. You can therefore be confident that they will be fully portable and accepted everywhere.

Each document supplied within the HIP carries Professional Indemnity insurance from the provider. This however insures the document provider against any errors made by them but doesn’t cover you as the HIP provider for any mistakes you may make. Therefore if you face a claim for an incorrect document within a HIP you will be able to claim against the supplier involved, however you will need to deal with the initial claim. We therefore recommend that you take out your own Professional Indemnity insurance for complete protection.

You can specify on each HIP whether to use your own branding or an agents or vendors branding. You upload to the platform a logo that you wish to appear in the HIP. This appears alongside your name address and contact details on the first and last page of the HIP. In addition you can choose from a selection of cover styles for the HIP or design your own cover page.

Yes. The vendor and the estate agent(s)/solicitor(s) can view the progress of HIPs and access them once complete provided you give them permission.

Integrating the platform within your own website is not only convenient for you but also ensures your agents and vendors go to your website to view and access HIPs. The Iframe version of the platform that is used has no reference to autohip on it and can be “skinned” to match your existing website colours.

As soon as you create a new HIP the PIQ is sent to the vendor by email asking them to complete it and return it electronically.

The Title Documents are sourced electronically from Land Registry and once received the searches are instructed.

You will need to upload the EPC and then the Basic or market-ready HIP is ready to be compiled and sent to your customer.

Status updates will keep you informed of progress and as soon as the HIP is ready for compiling, you will be notified by email.

Once all components are ready (including the searches) you will be able to compile the Full HIP and send it to your vendor and/or agent. The HIP will be hosted on autohip and an email will be sent with a link to the document. This link can also be forwarded to any potential buyers.

The completed HIP will be available as an electronic PDF file. PDF files are a common, free file format which is universally recognisable and readable.

The compiled HIP can be saved to your local machine or left to be hosted on our servers. When emailing the HIP we recommend using the email function within autohip as this sends a link to the HIP file rather than emailing the complete PDF. This link can be included in your own email if you prefer.

Yes. You can either print your own copy or request a printed and bound copy via us. There is a £14.75 (+ vat) charge per printed hard copy to cover the printing, binding and postage costs.

You pay for the components online via our website with a credit or debit card, at the point of order. The autohip website uses a secure payment gateway provided by Sage Pay. Sage Pay has achieved the highest level of compliance under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI) and adheres to the most stringent levels of fraud screening, ensuring that your card details remain secure throughout the transaction process.

Prices are shown exclusive of VAT, however VAT will be payable on some components.

In particular;

• Land Registry documents (including Register copies, Title Plans and Leases) do not incur VAT.
• Local Authority searches and Drainage and Water searches incur VAT at the standard rate of 17.5%

No. Autohip is a platform for the creation of Home Information Packs, it is not a white label HIP company or HIP provider and as such we do not offer any financing arrangements.

No. Autohip cannot be used to process credit card payments from your customers, on your behalf. Financial institutions have very strict rules concerning the use of third party payment systems and any type of 'proxy' card payment would not be acceptable to them.

A HIP remains valid for as long as the property remains on the market. The searches are newly commissioned when the pack is produced, however as time elapses they become less current and the purchaser’s solicitors may insist that new searches are obtained. However this would normally be at the expense of the buyer, rather than the seller.

If a property is taken off the market then any documents, other than the EPC, that are older than 3 months need to be renewed before the property can be marketed again, however, the seller can carry on using the same Pack without the need to update any of the documents in the following circumstances:-

• Where marketing stopped because the seller accepted an offer and wants to restart marketing because the sale has fallen through, provided that remarketing starts within one year of the date when marketing first began or, if later, within 28 days of the sale falling through.
• Where marketing has stopped for any other reason, the seller may remarket the property with the same Pack provided that remarketing starts within one year of the date when marketing first began.

We consider searches to be one of the most important components of a HIP. Complete and comprehensive search reports will help ensure that the conveyancing process is smooth and efficient and that your customer's transaction will complete without delay.

There are benefits and drawbacks to each type of search, however the main differences are cost and turnaround time.

Personal search providers generally offer a flat fee price, whereas prices still vary hugely between different Local Authorities.

The Local Authority holds most of the information that is required for the search and as such they have the potential to respond more quickly to search requests. Personal search companies will make an appointment to visit the council to collect the information that is required.

Due to the fact that prices and performance still vary hugely between Local Authorities, it is not possible to quote a standard price for a HIP that includes a Local Authority search, therefore autohip includes a personal search by default, however this can be changed during the HIP ordering process if required.

Please see our section on Searches for more information.

Please see our section on what goes into the HIP here.

There are no qualifications required to produce HIPs, however you must of course hold either a DipHI or DipDEA qualification to produce the Energy Performance Certificate.

The process of producing HIPs is largely collating required documents from authorititive sources, including an EPC from a DEA or HI. If you are a DEA or HI then you are perfectly positioned to produce HIPs using autohip, as autohip will take care of all of the document ordering and collation.

Autohip is very simple and intuitive to use and will perform most HIP compilation tasks for you. However, as you will be the HIP Provider, it is important that you are familiar with the HIP regulations as you will ultimately be responsible for the packs you produce using autohip

We recommend each pack is visually checked before being sent to you customers. Checks should include, as a minimum, verification that all of the required documents are present and correct and that the Sale Statement accurately reflects the property being sold.