PROPERTY industry insiders and house sellers in Lincolnshire have welcomed the suspension of the controversial home information packs (Hips).

The Government has suspended Hips from today, pending primary legislation for a permanent abolition.

The Hips scheme meant sellers were required to pay for the packs which contained property information, title deeds and local searches, before they could put their property up for sale.

Now buyers will be charged about £200 for searches from local authorities and search companies.

But sellers will still be required to get an energy performance certificate, showing how energy efficient a property is, within 28 days of putting their home on the market, typically costing £60.

Linsey Tinsley, 33, of Branston, said the timing of the announcement was frustrating.

"We put our three-bedroom cottage on the market in April," said Mrs Tinsley, a mum-of-one.

"We paid £199 plus VAT for a mini Hip on our property and had we known Hips were to be scrapped we would have held off until now."

The news has been welcomed by the property industry, which has long called for an end to the packs, saying they failed to help home buyers and discouraged people from putting their property on the market.

The Association of Home Information Pack Providers estimates there are between 3,000 and 10,000 people whose livelihoods are either directly or indirectly dependent on Hips.

However, a spokesman for the association says it has no members in Lincolnshire.

Simon Smith, residential partner at Lincoln-based estate agents JH Walter, said he would imagine many vendors would be pleased.

"There will be a feel-good factor about the suspension," he said. "It's been an additional expense for people marketing their property."

Senior partner at Mundys Philip Barnatt added it was an excellent move.

"We were never keen on Hips because we didn't think they provided an advantage for people trying to sell their home," he said.

"In fact they hindered the process because home sellers hated them.

The packs were complied by Hips providers and solicitors.

Richard Hare, managing partner of McKinnells Solicitors, said staff would still compile the search information included in Hips, but the process would no longer be done in advance of the property being marketed.