A TRIAL of new home information packs (HIPs) aimed at reducing the number of collapsed house sales is to begin in Huddersfield on November 17.
The packs will provide potential home buyers with up-front information and an energy efficiency report.
They are aimed at bringing efficiency to the home buying process and cutting the number of transactions which fail late in the day.
The packs will become mandatory in June 2007.
But according to opponents of the scheme, the introduction of the packs will bring little benefit to the consumer, while at the same time adding to the cost of buying a home.
Earlier this year, housing minister Yvette Cooper announced that home condition reports would be included in HIPs only on a voluntary basis. Some people have claimed this undermines the usefulness of the packs.
Trials are also taking place in Newcastle, Southampton, Northampton, Bath and Cambridge, with the first being rolled out in Newcastle on Monday.
The Government has set aside £4m to be used during the "dry runs", to encourage sellers to take up voluntary packs.
Splinta, a campaign group opposing the introduction of HIPs, has questioned the objectivity and validity of the planned trials, despite Government assurances that they are necessary and will be independently assessed.
