Do I need a housing report for my UK spouse visa in 2025?

In this article we are going to explore whether you should submit a housing report or a UKVI Property Inspection report for the following types of visa applications:

UK Spouse visa
FLR(M) Visa
UK Fiance visa
UK Unmarried partner visa.

This article will touch upon the following topics:

What is a UK Housing report or UKVI property inspection report?

The Housing Report (property inspection report) essentially supports your UK immigration visa application. This is the only document that proves an independent accommodation assessment has taken place to the entry clearance officer and the accommodation relied upon is considered adequate.

“Who can perform a Housing Report?”

Housing reports for the purposes of immigration are usually undertaken by surveyors who are appropriately qualified and affiliated with a professional body. In our case the resident surveyor holds an MSc in Environmental Health and is a member of the Charted Institute of Environmental Health. Estate agent reports have little value as they are not well rehearsed in housing legislation and the immigration requirement. Moreover, in most cases they are not registered with a professional body and have no professional accountability.

Do you actually need a housing report?

Should the accommodation being relied upon by the applicant fall within the following categories:

- Owned by sponsor

- Rented by Sponsor

- Accommodation provided by family

It is highly recommended a property inspection is submitted with the application.

There are compelling reasons why you should seriously consider having a housing report for the immigration application.

Reason number 1 for having a housing report

1. Evidencing adequate accommodation is expected by the Home Office, please see Appendix FM-Family members. Section E-ECP 3.4 states :

"The applicant must provide evidence that there will be adequate accommodation, without recourse to public funds, for the family, including other family members who are not included in the application but who live in the same household, which the family own or occupy exclusively: accommodation will not be regarded as adequate if-

(a) it is, or will be, overcrowded; or
(b) it contravenes public health regulations."

Clearly, the Housing Report is the only document that demonstrates that the accommodation is adequate.

Reason number 2 for having a housing report

As an environmental consultancy who specialises in property inspection reports for immigration. We regularly engage with customers who feel that having a housing reports bring them peace of mind knowing they have done everything to meet the adequate accommodation requirement.

Anchor 1

How much does a housing report cost?

Anchor 3

The cost of a housing report is generally between £80-160. However, this price can vary depending on the location. Please see area's covered section or enter your postcode in our price check tool. We are also able to provide online property inspection reports for £99 where a physical inspection is not possible.

Booking a housing report is a relatively straight forward process:

1. Fill in the request consultation form and we will give you a call-back or email you with a price after consultation.

2. Provisional booking slots for on-site inspections will be held for 24 hours only. The booking has a confirmed status once payment clears or the booking form is submitted and accepted.

3. Both the virtual property inspection & on-site inspection are booked by completing a booking form which also processes payment.

What is considered an overcrowded house?

An overcrowded house has insufficient space for its occupants, a situation legally defined in the UK by the Housing Act 1985, which is met if two people of opposite sexes, aged 10 or over, who are not a couple, have to share a bedroom. A home can also be considered overcrowded if it doesn't have enough rooms for the household, or if any rooms are too small for the number of people sleeping in them.

SSG uses the Housing Act 1985 in conjunction with the Housing Act 2004 to determine statutory overcrowding. We have developed an online calculator which can be used to give you an idea if your house is overcrowded or will be with the addition of the applicant (s) entering the UK. This tool is particularly useful prior to booking an online housing report. Please also see FAQ for other questions not covered in this section.