The much maligned Home Information Pack (HIP) - previously called The Seller's Pack - is due to be introduced into the property market for England and Wales in June 2007, despite another raft of late changes announced recently, writes, Tony Booth.

The cost of providing a HIP by sellers is likely to vary dramatically up and down the country, as estate agents decide whether to undertake the process in-house or contract-out.

At the very least, sellers are likely to be charged an additional £600 on top of the agent's previous fee scale (Government's own estimate) - while some sellers may be charged over £1000.

Investors intending to sell a property should start marketing it now, if they want to save hundreds of pounds before the deadline.

Loosening of the rules