Long stay immigrants sometimes have to provide certain information before they can enter the country. The information includes housing standards and the possibility of overcrowding.
We do not have a mandatory duty to carry these out.
To ask for a long stay immigration inspection please follow these steps:
- contact private sector housing to see if we can offer an inspection
- send us a copy of the High Commission letter and list of requested information
- the fee must be paid in advance or we will not take on your request
- there would be a charge (£220 for the initial inspection and £77 for each subsequent visit)
- we will then contact the current occupier or landlord to arrange an inspection
- an inspection will be completed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System under the Housing Act 2004. Also the Overcrowding Standard within the Housing Act 1985
- we will then send a summary report of the inspection to the current occupier or landlord (so that this can be forwarded to the High Commission)
- if anything does not meet standards we will note this in our letters to you. A re-inspection and new letter will be sent when standards have been met. You must pay an additional fee of £77 for each subsequent visit as this covers the cost of the officer time involved
You can then use our letter as proof that the property is suitable.