Estate Agency blog

New Services Available

to the Property Profession

 

MOL is offering two new services to compliment their already popular suite of flexible learning courses for the property profession.

 

1                    MOL Mock Exam Papers.

2                    ‘Technical Award in 35 Days’ programme

 

 

MOL Mock Exam Papers

With no past test papers for the NFOPP Technical Award, MOL are making available, for the first time, their own mock Technical Award exam papers (previously only accessible to MOL students).

Who better to test your knowledge than the company who wrote the NFOPP Technical Award workbooks?

 

1                  Purchase a set of 4 MOL ‘Technical Award’ multiple choice mock test papers, for each unit of either the Technical Award in the Sale of Residential Property or  Technical Award in Residential Lettings and Management. These will be individually marked, scored and the incorrect answers indicated                              £69.00

 

2                  Purchase a set of 4 MOL ‘Technical Award’ multiple choice mock test papers, for each unit of either the Technical Award in the Sale of Residential Property or  Technical Award in Residential Lettings and Management. These will be individually marked, scored AND for incorrect answers the correct answer explained   £99.00

                                   

 

‘The Technical Award in 35 days’ Programme.

A NEW ‘Fast Track’ route to preparing for the Technical Award. If taking this qualification in the quickest and most effective way is your goal, then MOL’s ‘Technical Award in 35 days’ Programme is for you.

 

• Your own personal tutor.
• Twice weekly telephone ‘tutor support’ training sessions for 30 days (see below to unlock an additional telephone workshop).
• Study Timetable
• Audio CDs (sales students only)
• Memory and study techniques ebook

 

Book your 4 examination papers with NFOPP during this programme and unlock

• an extra 1 hour study session and
• a full set of MOL Mock exam multiple choice papers individually marked, scored and explained.

 

£300.00 (not including workbook and exam fees)

 

 

 

Ring MOL on 0161 203 2103 for further details.

 

On 8 December 2008 Margaret Beckett the Minister for Housing and Planning released a written statement about HIPs and the residential property market.

 

First Day Marketing

The ability of estate agents to immediately start to market properties on which they had received instructions was due to run out on 31 December 2008.  This has now been extended until 5 April 2009.

 

From 6 April 2009 estate agents will need to have a basic HIP in place before they start marketing a property.  However, the Minister believes that a basic HIP can be provided within 3 to 5 working days.

 

Content of a HIP

There has been little alteration to the content of a HIP apart from the need for a Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) which will be a mandatory part of the HIP from the 6 April 2009.  The PIQ will include a summary of the leasehold information for leasehold property together with a copy of the lease.

 

The local authority search of the property is still a mandatory element, but sellers will have up to 28 days to provide this, and their property can be marketed without the search information as soon as the basic HIP has been assembled.

 

A working group is considering how the property searches can be made simpler and easier to use.

 

The HCR is currently an optional part of the HIP and few have been provided.  The government still feel that buyers would find information on the condition of property useful before deciding whether to make an offer to buy.  Therefore, the government will establish a working group to explore options for making condition information available from existing practitioners, including home inspectors.  This means that HCRs or similar products are likely to become mandatory in the future.

 

Leasehold information, currently mandatory in the HIP, will be authorised (and hence discretionary) from 1 January 2009 (although the need for the HIP to have a copy of the lease remains a mandatory requirement).  However, basic leasehold information will be contained within the PIQ from 6 April 2009.

 

Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ)

The PIQ will be a mandatory document from 6 April 2009 and will cover a range of basic information that it is believed can be easily completed by the seller.  The PIQ will include

 

Postal address, name of seller and date the PIQ was completed

When the property was bought

If the property is listed

The council tax band

Parking arrangements

Whether there is any damage to the property from storm or fire and if so if subject to an insurance claim

If there has been flooding and if the Environment Agency’s flood website has been checked

Any treatment for wet/dry rot or damp and if so any guarantees

If there is central heating and its type and when last serviced

When electrical wiring last checked

Which services are connected to the property and type (ie mains or other)

Details of changes to the property (eg alterations, extensions) and if so if relevant permissions obtained

If windows have been replaced and if so details of changes and guarantees

Access arrangements

Leasehold information where appropriate eg

            Who collects ground rent and service charge and their amounts

            Length of lease left

            Amount of buildings insurance

            Details of proposed or ongoing works

            Use restrictions in the lease

            Details of parking or communal gardens

 

A slightly amended PIQ is available for new homes

 

Enforcement and Service Standards

 

The Minister also promised better enforcement against estate agents who break the law.  The Minister believes the new regulations will make it easier for TSOs to enforce the requirements of the HIP regulations.

 

The OFT are also to conduct a comprehensive study of home buying and selling.  They will consider competition between service providers and how consumer interests are served.

 

David Hughes

12 December 2008