Panic response leaves feeling no confidence

Bonallack & Bishop SALISBURY LAWYERS Press Release

July 2007

Panic response leaves feeling ‘no confidence’ (Salisbury Journal)

I am appalled by the government’s last minute U-turn over the introduction of home information packs.

The original plans were ill though through and lacked proper consultation. However, the government’s latest behaviour in postponing the introduction of HIPS until August, and limiting the scope to only four-bedroom houses is a clear panic response and leaves us all without confidence in this government’s ability to action a coherent plan.

The public have been left totally confused, with many businesses out of pocket and unable to make proper plans in light of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s muddled strategy.

National HIPS providers, local estate agents and those few solicitors’ firms such as our own locally sourced home information packs, have to pay the brunt of the wasted costs and have been left unable to make sustainable long-term plans to deal with HIPS if and when they are ever introduced.

It is hard to imagine how the government could have handled the issue worse than they have. The people I feel most sorry for, however, are those brave individuals, like our own Salisbury-based home inspector, who trusting the government, set up business as inspectors, often giving up secure jobs and paying £8,000 for training. These inspectors have been left high and dry.

We already have too few home inspectors. I suspect that the shortage will now increase with many existing inspectors looking to return to safe salaried jobs and those inspectors who the government assured us would be trained to make up the shortfall, simply backing out – and who can blame them?

Tim Bishop
Bonallack & Bishop Solicitors Salisbury

The contents of this article are intended for general information purposes only and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute legal advice. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of this article.
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