HOW TO HIRE · PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO

How to hire a property photographer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Property photographers need no licence in the UK. Here is the licence to ask for, the drone rules, and what the quote should include.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a property photographer in five steps

  1. Say who will use the photosYou, an estate agent, a letting site, holiday booking platforms. The licence must allow each.
  2. Ask about drone shotsAerial exteriors need a pilot with a CAA Flyer ID, an Operator ID on the drone, and third-party insurance for paid work.
  3. Prepare the homeClear surfaces, lights on, personal items and anything identifying put away.
  4. Agree the shot count and floor planNumber of rooms and images, and whether a floor plan is included.
  5. Fix deliveryListings run on dates; agree a turnaround.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

Photographing homes for sale or let is not regulated in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; there is no register of property photographers. Sample listings, references and written terms are the checks.

Ask for full sets from two recent properties.

Copyright and your licence

Section 11 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 makes the author — the property photographer — the first owner of the copyright in your property photographs. Ownership moves only through a signed written assignment (section 90), so normally you are buying a licence.

Read the licence clause: can you let your agent, a new agent or a letting site use them? If you need to own the copyright, ask for it to be assigned in writing. legislation.gov.uk →

Drone shots: CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID

For aerial shots of your home, the CAA requires the pilot to hold a Flyer ID (from its theory test) and the business to hold an Operator ID, labelled on any camera drone of 100g or more (Article 14 of UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947). The flight must keep the open-category distances from uninvolved people — neighbours included — or have a CAA Operational Authorisation, and paid drone work needs at least third-party insurance.

Ask for both IDs, the insurance certificate, and how the flight will stay clear of neighbours. caa.co.uk →

ICO data protection fee

A property photographer keeps your contact details and photographs of your home and anyone in it, which is personal data. A business or sole trader processing personal data must pay the ICO data protection fee — £52 or £78 a year for most small businesses — unless exempt, and is then listed on the ICO's public register.

Search the business name on the ICO register and ask how long the files are kept. gov.uk →

VAT

Property photography is standard-rated: 20% VAT is charged on the shoot, the floor plan and any drone shots. Once taxable turnover is above £90,000 a year, registration is compulsory, and the VAT must then appear as its own line on the bill.

Ask for the VAT number, and check the rooms shot, the floor plan and the 20% VAT are itemised apart. gov.uk →

“Can my estate agent, and any later agent, use the property photographs?”

A good answer: Yes, written into the licence, for the life of the listing.

“Do you fly a drone, and under which CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID?”

A good answer: Both IDs, the Operator ID shown on the drone, insurance for paid work, and a plan to keep the flight clear of neighbours.

“How many rooms and images does the property shoot include?”

A good answer: A list: rooms, exterior, garden, any twilight or aerial shots.

“Is a floor plan included with the property photos?”

A good answer: Yes or no, with the measuring method if included.

“How do you treat personal items and anything identifying in the property?”

A good answer: Moved or edited out — family photos, post, car registrations.

“How quickly will the photos be delivered for the listing?”

A good answer: A turnaround in working days.

“Will you use photographs of my home in your portfolio?”

A good answer: Only with your consent, and without the address.

Getting the quote right

  • Who actually attends the property and holds your keys — the photographer named, employed or subcontracted
  • Number of rooms and final images, exterior and garden included
  • Floor plan and drone shots as separate lines
  • The licence: who may use the photographs and for how long
  • Editing included — sky replacement, lens correction
  • Travel and any re-shoot for weather
  • The VAT number, with VAT on the property shoot and the floor plan as a separate line

Walk away if

  • A licence only for one agent, without saying so
  • Drone shots offered with no CAA Flyer ID, Operator ID or insurance
  • Personal items or car registrations left visible
  • No turnaround date
  • Your home shown in their portfolio with the address
  • Heavy editing that misrepresents the property
LOW
£75
TYPICAL
£150
HIGH
£400

What a property photographer costs: £75–£400 per shoot

Property photographers price by the shoot, with the number of rooms, floor plans, twilight and drone shots added on. Property Photographer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Property photographers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. BookingRooms, extras and uses agreed, with the licence terms.
  2. PreparationThe home tidied and lit; personal items put away.
  3. The shootEach room from its best angles; exterior, garden, and any drone shots within the rules.
  4. EditingLens and colour correction, personal details removed, nothing misleading.
  5. DeliveryWeb-ready images, floor plan if ordered, and the licence.

Licence
Permission for you or your agent to use the photos.
Floor plan
A drawn layout of the property.
Twilight shot
An exterior taken at dusk with the lights on.
Flyer ID and Operator ID
The CAA's IDs for the drone pilot and for the business responsible for the drone.
Lens correction
Editing that straightens distorted walls.
Sky replacement
Swapping a dull sky; it should not hide anything about the property.

AFTER

When the job is done

Save the images and the licenceYour agent may change; the licence travels with the files.
Check every roomCount, crops, and anything personal removed.
Check the floor planRooms and dimensions against the house.
Leave feedbackWrite about the property photographs honestly — punctuality, care, the result. If it was under four stars, the make-it-right step gives them a chance to fix it first.

STEP 1First, a written noteGive the property photographer the details of the photographs and a reasonable date to respond. Section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 implies reasonable care and skill into the contract, and sections 55 and 56 give you a repeat or a reduction.
STEP 2The make-it-right stepA review under four stars for a property photographer starts with a choice: send it to them first to fix, with us following it through, then publish the review.
STEP 3Advice and Trading StandardsIf the property photographer ignores you about the photographs, call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland — no regulator covers this work, but they can involve Trading Standards.
STEP 4If money is still owedYou can take the property photographer to the small claims route — the county court small claims track up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure in the sheriff court up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a property photographer: questions people ask

Property photography needs no licence; drone work needs CAA registration. Drone shots need a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.

The photographer, under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, unless assigned. Make sure your licence lets any agent use them.

Only within the CAA rules: a Flyer ID and Operator ID, the drone kept in sight and below 120 metres, the open-category distances from uninvolved neighbours, or a CAA Operational Authorisation.

£75 to £400 a shoot, typically around £150. The number of rooms, floor plans and drone shots move the price. Prices by rooms, floor plans and aerial shots are in the property photographer price guide; add your town above for photographers near you.

Only if the licence allows it; agree that at the start.

Raise it in writing. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 lets you require a reshoot or a price reduction.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in photography & video

How to hire: Drone PhotographyHow to hire: Product PhotographerHow to hire: Drone VideographyHow to hire: VideographerHow to hire: Headshot PhotographerHow to hire: Event PhotographerHow to hire: Portrait PhotographerHow to hire: Video EditorAll 701 hiring guides →

Property photographers near you

Property photographers in LondonProperty photographers in ManchesterProperty photographers in BirminghamProperty photographers in GlasgowProperty photographers in BelfastAll property photographers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 11 — first ownership
  2. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90 — assignment
  3. CAA — Drone Code: getting what you need to fly legally (Flyer ID and Operator ID)
  4. CAA — flying drones for work
  5. CAA — drone insurance requirements
  6. UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Article 14 — registration of drone operators (as amended 1 January 2026)
  7. UK Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Article 4 — the open category
  8. gov.uk — pay the data protection fee
  9. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  10. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  11. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  12. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  13. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register