Inspection Service for Immigration Purposes

If you are intending to sponsor a member of your family to move from abroad into Colchester and submit a UK Entry Clearance application, you will need a report that states your accommodation, whether owned by yourself or rented from a landlord/housing provider, is up to standard, has no hazards and will not be overcrowded once your family member is able to move to England.

The council can provide a service to provide this report.

This is a separate service from the housing checks carried out for the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

What does this service cover?

An officer from the Private Sector Housing Team will arrange an appointment with you and confirm this in writing.

The officer will carry out a full inspection of the property. They will measure the rooms and make a note of all facilities & amenities available within the premises. They will consider the condition of the property and any defects or safety issues noted.

The officer will determine the suitability of the accommodation with both the current and prospective residents in mind and will confirm their findings by letter.

If the property is considered suitable and with no issues, this will conclude the service. If the property is considered unsuitable, due to issues with the condition of the property, the officer will explain what works are required and will need to check that these have been completed before they are able to confirm that the property will be suitable.

If the property is considered unsuitable as it is considered that it will become overcrowded should the family member move in, this will be explained in the letter.

What doesn't this service cover?

This service is not available for properties outside of the city.

How much does the service cost?

The cost for this service is £275 +VAT (£330).

Please note that payment of the fee does not imply that the subject accommodation will be suitable.

We aim to respond to your enquiry within 5 working days.

Apply now