Research carried out among the leading companies who are training or employing home inspectors and domestic energy assessors (DEAs) believe there will be over 2,500 people qualified to deliver energy performance certificates needed for home information packs (Hips) by June.

Anti-Hip protestors have claimed there will not be enough inspectors trained by the June 1^st deadline for the compulsory introduction of the packs.

It is estimated that around 1.7 million energy reports will be needed each year and that in June, when Hips become mandatory, 91,000 reports will be needed. This figure will grow to 153,000 reports in October if current levels of activity continue.

Mike Ockenden, director general of the Association of Home Information Pack Providers said: “Of our 70 members polled we found that an adequate supply of assessors are currently in training and will qualify to undertake the EPC by June.”

Chris Rispin, managing director of BlueBox partners which trains home inspectors and DEAs said: “We have 300 DEAs in training and all but two of our courses are full. We have been over-whelmed by how keen people are to become energy assessors.”

“We believe that a significant number of assessors will be ready on June 1st to meet the initial demand and there will be further assessors in the pipeline.”

Lesley Sorridini of HIPHIPhorray.com said: “We are ready to provide a full Hip including the EPC as we have a sufficient number of domestic energy assessors, a pricing structure and service level agreements in place.”

“We currently have 1,490 home inspectors going through training at varying levels and this number continues to grow. By June we will have over 800 DEAs and over 200 Home Inspectors who can carry out an EPC.”

Mike Ockenden added: “The training courses are bulging at the seams and we anticipate a second tranche of trained energy assessors coming though post June 1st.”

“Our members report that there is a large appetite for people wanting to re-train as DEAs and are confident in their ability to meet the market demands of Hips from 1st June onwards.”