The government has performed a U-turn on plans to introduce its home sale packs scheme next year.

The packs, costing £1,000, which would make house sellers produce a detailed home condition report, will now not be made mandatory next June, it was announced yesterday.

The scheme had been subject to criticism from industry professionals and a Commons motion from more than 100 MPs requesting its reconsideration.

Housing minister Yvette Cooper said the reason for scrapping the original plan was the failure to train enough home inspectors, while Whitehall officials insisted the packs were being phased in rather than dropped. 

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