If you have a relative coming to live with you from abroad, Gateshead Council must carry out an inspection of the property to ensure that it meets the legal minimum standard. The Council will also need to make sure that it will not be overcrowded when the immigrant arrives.
A fee is charged for the inspection which is reviewed every year. Please contact us for details of the current fee charges.
You will be contacted within 2 working days of the Council receiving your request to arrange a mutually convenient time for an Environmental Health Officer to visit and inspect the property. The Officer will be available to visit within normal working hours.
At the time of the inspection, you will be required to provide the following evidence:
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Documentation from the immigration authorities to show that you are in the process of making an application for your relative to immigrate. This documentation might take the form of a letter or official form from the relevant High Commission or Embassy. The documentation must include the proposed immigrant’s name and a reference number with which to associate the application.
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Proof of your ownership or tenancy of the property. Evidence can include the Title Deeds, Mortgage Statement, correspondence from your mortgage provider or a current Tenancy Agreement. If you are not the owner we will require details of who does own the property.
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Any additional documentation to support what you have told us.
You will be asked to show the Officer around the whole property, outlining who occupies the house, and which rooms they sleep in.
During the course of the inspection, the Officer will make a judgment on whether the property is suitable and safe for occupation, and whether it would become statutorily overcrowded by the addition of the person seeking entry to the UK.
You may be asked additional questions if anything is unclear.
When the inspections and investigation is completed, you will be supplied with a letter, usually within 7 days of the inspection that will state:
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Your name and the name(s) of the person(s) seeking entry to the UK.
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The address of the property inspected.
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Who owns, and who occupies the property.
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How the property is occupied, and by whom.
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Whether the property provided a safe and healthy environment for any potential occupier or visitor at the time of our inspection
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Whether the property would be statutorily overcrowded by the addition of the person seeking entry to the UK
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The name of the Officer to contact for further information.
As applicant, you are then responsible for ensuring the letter is received by the appropriate authority in support of the application for immigration.
Please Note:
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The Council will not supply letters unless an inspection has been carried out.
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The Immigration Authorities will not accept letters that are greater than 12 weeks old.
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If your letter expires, the Council will need to carry out another inspection, incurring another fee.
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The Council reserves the right to make a charge 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.
If you would like to request for this service or would like further advice, please contact the Private Sector Housing Renewal Team today on (0191) 433 3000, or contact us online now by completing the form below.