Anti-Hip campaigner, Nick Salmon has called the government “carbon-irresponsible” over its suggestion to include the full energy certificate with house property details for every property marketed.

Energy performance certificates are the requirement of a European Union directive for when a property is sold or let. However the anti-Hip campaigner said the government is going much further than the directive dictates by forcing sellers to have the certificate produced when a property is put up for sale.

House details are usually around two pages long, but the full energy certificate will be up to seven pages long, argues Mr Salmon. "Hips are supposed to be about improving the home buying process but that is hardly mentioned by ministers these days,” he said. “It is now all about the government claiming to do something about carbon emissions. Apparently potential house buyers are so unintelligent they need to be told in writing that double glazing, cavity wall insulation and a modern boiler can save money on fuel costs.” 

“To achieve this, the government are seriously proposing that we squander millions of pages of extra paper and print every year. The full EPC has to be in the Hip anyway so why do we need it repeated on agents' details?"

Thousands of extra sheets to be produced by estate agents all across the country means the government will be “carbon-irresponsible”, Mr Salmon said.