Should I get a Home Report even if I don't have to have one?

If you put your house on the market 1st December 2008, technically you don't have to have a Home Report - ever. 

But would a Home Report help the marketing of your home if you had one?  Possibly: as more properties come on to the market with a Home Report, buyers are getting used to having access to the sort of information a Home Report provides.  The build up has been gradual because the number of homes coming on to the market has been relatively low, but as the proportion of homes for sale with a Home Report rises, buyers are slowly developing a preference for properties with a Home Report. 

There have been instances recently where buyers have asked a seller for a Home Report, even though one was not technically required, because they (the buyer) would have to get one for their home and expected the seller to provide one too.  If buyers really do prefer to have a Home Report, getting one may help you to sell your home.

And there is a second reason a Home Report might be to your advantage - the valuation by a professional surveyor gives buyers confidence that the asking price is a true reflection of market value.  That is likely to encourage genuine offers and reduce the chances of extended negotiation between you and buyers who are not certain what the ‘right' price should be.

So, a Home Report mights help with the sale of your home, even if you don't legally have to have one.