Immigration inspections

If you want a family member to immigrate to the UK, you may be required to provide a report to the British High Commission about the place where they intend to live. The report should confirm that the proposed accommodation is in a satisfactory condition and will not become statutorily overcrowded if other people move in.

Inspection service

The London Borough of Barnet provides a service to inspect accommodation and issue a report. This service costs £496, plus an hourly rate of up to £84 for re-visits and/or additional advice outside the scope of the original fee (2024/25 prices). You must give the Council the fee before the inspection takes place.

Please note that the accommodation must be owned or occupied exclusively by you or your family.

After receiving the fee an officer will contact you in order to arrange a mutually convenient time to undertake an inspection at the property. During the inspection the officer will need to look around the whole property and you will be asked to confirm:

• who owns and occupies the property currently
• the names and date of birth of all occupiers and in which rooms they sleep in
• the name and date of birth of the person(s) seeking entry into the UK.

When the inspection and investigation is completed, you will be supplied with a letter which will state:

• your name and the name(s) of the person(s) seeking entry into the UK
• the address of the property inspected
• who owns and who occupies the property
• whether the property is free from category 1 hazards under the Housing Act 2004
• whether the property would be statutorily overcrowded by the additions of the person seeking entry into the UK
• the name of the officer to contact for further information.

It is our aim to make the visit and provide you with your written report within 10 working days of you making your application.

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

To arrange an inspection please contact us:

• Telephone: 020 8359 7995
• Email: housingconditions@barnet.gov.uk

Supporting information

• the Council will not supply letters unless an inspection has been carried out
• if your letter expires, the Council will need to carry out another inspection, incurring another fee
• the Council reserves the right to make a charge for any amendments to the letter or for the supply of copies of the letter at a later date. It is therefore very important that you do not request an inspection of your property for immigration purposes until you are ready to submit your full application to the relevant authorities.