The government launched so-called Home Information Packs, which will initally cover only homes with four bedrooms or more, despite protests that they will simply add to red-tape and achieve little.

Housing Minister Yvette Cooper insisted the packs, known as Hips, will make house-buying easier by requiring clear information about the property, including an energy performance certificate.

The packs, which will cost between 300 and 500 pounds (440-740 euros), will for example rate its fuel efficiency and wall, floor and roof insulation levels.

"Given the amount of money we all put into our homes, it is right that we should have this kind of rating on our home as well. It will tell you how to cut your fuel bills for the future," said Cooper.

But critics say the new system is unenforcable and will simply add an extra complication to the house-buying and selling process.

"It is clear that individual homeowners could end up breaking the rules out of genuine confusion or by exploiting the numerous loopholes in the ever-more convoluted and complex regulations," said Tory housing spokesman Grant Shapps.

All rights reserved. � 2005 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.