The Conservative Party may abandon its pledge to scrap home information packs (HIPs) if elected, their housing special adviser hinted last week.

Owen Inskip, adviser to shadow housing minister Grant Shapps, told the National Conveyancing Congress in London that the party’s plan to abolish the controversial sellers’ packs could change by 2010, as their existence is ‘not all bad’ and they help people prepare for sales.

He also revealed that the Tories’ home-buying review, which had been due for publication this autumn, would be postponed for two to three months because of the market turmoil.

Inskip mooted the introduction of an exchange-ready pack, which would include title, pre-contract enquiries, planning permissions and guarantees, and require a conveyancer to be instructed before a house is marketed. He stressed these are not official party policies. The former estate agent said improving the search process was key to eliminating delays.

Inskip said the party would seek to achieve its aims with the minimum legislation or regulation. However, he admitted the case for regulating estate agents. Law Society President Paul Marsh supported the regulation of estate agents to level the ‘regulatory imbalance’ with solicitors. Proposals for instructing solicitors early were good in theory, but would need legislation to enforce.

However, other solicitors said they believe that best practice rather than legislation is the way to go. One said practitioners should be working towards a completion-ready pack and the legal components of HIPs should be brought back into the conveyancing process.