Immigration Inspections

As part of your application to UK Visas and Immigration, you may be asked to prove that you can be adequately accommodated within the meaning set out in the immigration rules. A key aspect of this will be to demonstrate that the property to which you are moving will not become statutorily overcrowded under Part X of the Housing Act 1985.

 

An accommodation inspection will assess whether the property would become statutory 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 submitted in support of your application for entry clearance to UK Visas and Immigration. In addition to overcrowding the officer assessing the property will determine whether or not the property is in a good state of repair and free from any significant health and safety risks. 

 

Gedling Borough Council provides inspections for immigration purposes to those living within the district.

 

Requesting an immigration inspection

 

To request an inspection please complete the two steps below

The fee is for the service is £155.

Step 1. Complete this Immigration Inspection: Request for an inspection

Step 2. Pay the fee, visit this page Pay an immigration inspection fee select "other payments" and select "immigration inspections" from the drop down options.  

Once the request form and fee payment have been received officers can arrange to visit your home and will check that the property will not be overcrowded and is free from significant health and safety risks. A written report confirming these facts can then be provided.

Inspections will be carried out at the earliest opportunity to be agreed with the host and Housing Improvement Officer following receipt of the complete request form and payment. The report will then be sent to you as soon as possible after the visit.

 

What to expect

 

When we arrive to inspect, we will ask to see some documentation from the immigration authorities to show that you are in the process of making an application. This might take the form of a letter or official form from the relevant High Commission etc with the proposed immigrants name and a reference number with which to associate the application.

 

When we inspect, we will ask to see proof of your ownership or tenancy of the property.

 

If you own the property, then we will need to see the title deeds, mortgage statement, or correspondence from your mortgage provider. If you rent the property, then we will need to see a current tenancy agreement, and a utility bill in your name at the address in question.

We will then inspect the whole of the property at which you live.

 

You will be asked to show us around your property, outlining who occupies the house, and which rooms they sleep in. During the course of the inspection, we will make a judgement on whether the property is acceptable to live in and would become statutorily overcrowded by the addition of the person seeking entry to the UK.

 

We may ask you additional questions if we are unclear on anything that we have seen or that you have told us, and may ask you to provide additional documentation to support what you have told us.

 

When we have completed our investigations, you will be supplied with a letter, usually within 5 days of our visit, that will state:

  • Your name and 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 whom
  • 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

The applicant is then responsible for forwarding the letter to the appropriate authority in support of the application for immigration.

 

Please note:

  • We will not supply letters unless we have inspected the property.
  • The immigration authorities will not accept letters that are more than 12 weeks old.
  • If your letter expires on this ground, we will not issue another until we have carried out a full investigation again.

For further details please call 0115 9013972

 

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