Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and Housing Minister Grant Shapps have announced that, with immediate effect, Home Information Packs (HIPs) are suspended.

Location, Location, Location presenter Kirstie Allsopp joined Mr Pickles and Mr Shapps on a visit to an estate agents in Battersea, London to hear how the suspension of HIPs will help the fragile housing market.

Mr Pickles said that the suspension will show those thinking of selling their home that they can put it on the market with less cost and less hassle.

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HIPs will no longer hold back the housing market by forcing sellers to fork out extra cash, sometimes hundreds of pounds, just to be able to put their home up for sale.

Mr Pickles and Mr Shapps also confirmed that in order to help people reduce their energy bills and tackle climate change, sellers will still be required to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when they sell their home.

Mr Pickles said: "The expensive and unnecessary Home Information Pack has increased the cost and hassle of selling homes and is stifling a fragile housing market.

"HIPs are history. This action will encourage sellers back into the market, and help the market as a whole and the economy recover."

Kirsty Allsop said: "I work with people buying and selling their houses every day and I've seen genuine unhappiness. Today's the day that HIPs are gone. You will not have to pay £250, or £350 plus VAT, for a piece of paper that no one will look at and will not reduce your lawyer's fees."