Housing standards

Your landlord must keep the property you live in safe and free from health hazards.

Property inspection

When you make an application to the UK Border Agency for entry clearance into the United Kingdom, you may be asked to get an independent assessment of the number of rooms and occupants for the proposed accommodation.

A  property assessment is to ensure the property is safe, in a good state of repair and does not pose a health and safety risk. It will also assess whether the property would become overcrowded if any more people were to move in. If the property meets the required standards, then we will issue a confirmation letter which can be used as part of a visa application.

A fee of £155 is due at the time of application. We will then get in touch to arrange a mutually convenient time for the inspection to be carried out.

When completing the property inspection the following standards are required:

• the property is safe, in a good state of repair and does not pose a health and safety risk
• the property has adequate kitchen and bathroom facilities (shared facilities with another family is not acceptable)
• the property is owned or occupied exclusively by the sponsor/sponsor's family (the property is not suitable, if it is shared with members of another family)
• the property if rented has a copy of a current gas safety certificate (your landlord should provide a copy to you every 12 months)
• the property has a sufficient number of rooms of adequate sizes so that an assessment can be made on whether or not the property will become overcrowded if more people were to move in. 

Apply for an inspection

To apply for an inspection you should have information for:

• yourself (sponsor) including contact details
• photo proof of identity
• a copy of the tenancy agreement for the property
• proof of occupation e.g. utility bill etc.
• the person(s) entering the UK including name, date of birth, and relationship to the sponsor. (passport details or visa application number if applicable)
• the property they intend to live in, including full address. If rented, details of the landlord and a copy of the current gas safety certificate.

Once the inspection has been undertaken the sponsor should include the confirmation letter as part of the visa application to the UK Border Agency.

After you have applied for an inspection

Once we have received the application form, we will contact you within 7 working days to arrange a date and time for the inspection.

Following the inspection a confirmation letter will be sent to the sponsor within 7 working days which will state:

• the name(s) of the person(s) seeking entry to the UK
• the address of the property inspected
• who owns, and who occupies the property
• how the property is occupied, and by who
• whether the property provided a safe and healthy environment for any potential occupier or visitor at the time of our inspection
• whether the property would be statutorily overcrowded by the addition of the person seeking entry to the UK
• the name of the officer to contact for further information.

If the property is not compliant a re-inspection may be required before a Immigration Entry Clearance letter can be provided.

As applicant, you are then responsible for ensuring the letter is received by the appropriate authority in support of the application for immigration.