Your recent online story ‘Estate agencies charging 50% more for HIPs’, based on a survey by Which?, raises some important issues. But the results must be viewed in the correct context.

Cost continues to be a key factor, and rightly so. But it is hard to think of any product or service that is not cheaper if bought online rather than on the high street. Even taking this into account, comparing the two directly is misleading.

When an estate agent is appointed to sell a property they are automatically subject to a host of responsibilities and duties, regulated by law and punishable by fines or worse. As estate agents are the responsible person at law, if presented with a HIP purchased from an independent source they may need to charge extra fees for carrying out additional checks to cover their responsibilities. For this reason alone, it is entirely appropriate that estate agents are remunerated accordingly and the potential impact of such hidden extra costs should not be discounted.

Furthermore, consumers need to check exactly what it is they will be receiving from independent providers. Some are known to tie in conveyancing services to the HIP, so the discount may not be as appealing as it first appears. The only way for customers to avoid hidden costs or unnecessary additional expense is for them to purchase their HIPs from providers who comply with the HIP code. These regulations are in place to protect the consumer and, as we all know, online purchasing is one area where consumer protection remains thin.

Mike Ockenden, director general, Association of Home Information Pack Providers, Thornby, Northants