An investigation that exposed home information packs (HIPs) as flawed has prompted calls for insurance-backed personal searches to be banned.

Birmingham Trading Standards inspected HIPs at 15 estate agents, randomly selecting six packs for scrutiny. Five contained false or misleading search information.

Officers suggested that private search companies are short-circuiting the system to save money.

Law Society President Paul Marsh said the finding highlighted the problem of using unqualified HIP providers.

Peter Ambrose, director of The Partnership, a HIP provider, said that with the improvement of service levels from local authorities, the government should prohibit the use of insurance-backed personal searches.

The Department for Communities and Local Government criticised the survey’s ‘small sample’.