House sales fall: Time to scrap Home Reports

Scottish Conservatives are stepping up calls for Home Reports to be scrapped after the latest figures from the Registers of Scotland show that the number of homes sold during April-June 2011 fell by more than 10% on the same period last year.

David McLetchie MSP, Scottish Conservative Chief Whip, said:

"In the best of times, Home Reports were an expensive luxury. However with these figures showing that the housing market struggling to return to where it was a couple of years ago, they are madness.

"Only the Scottish Conservatives opposed their introduction – all the other parties in the Scottish Parliament voted for them.

"Evidence from the Law Society demonstrates that Home Reports have not abolished multiple surveys. Indeed in some cases more surveys are being commissioned now than was previously the case. This evidence demolishes the case for Home Reports.

"We urged the postponement of this scheme before it was rolled out in December 2008 but the SNP Government refused to see sense.

"In May last year, the UK Government took the sensible decision to scrap Home Information Packs in England and Wales. We must now follow suit in Scotland with Home Reports.

"There is no good reason why we should be the only place in the United Kingdom where such costly, and ineffective, reports are required by law. Abolishing them could deliver a much needed boost to our housing market."

Back to all posts