How to list your property as a filming location
What production companies actually want, which platforms to list on, and what insurance you need before you say yes.
Listing your property as a filming location is a credible income stream in the UK. Day rates for residential properties used for film and photography run from £500 to £3,000+ depending on location, size and character. Commercial and industrial spaces can command significantly more. The process requires more diligence than most listing guides suggest — here is what you actually need to know.
What production companies want
The most important thing is character. Productions are not looking for a clean, neutral space — they’re looking for something with a specific visual identity. An authentic 1930s kitchen with original fittings will book more than a contemporary renovated one. A Victorian warehouse with exposed brick and cast-iron columns has more demand than a modern equivalent. Period features, unusual architectural details, or a specific type of exterior are what make a location bookable.
Second most important: practical access. Can a production vehicle park nearby? Is there room for a unit base (the trucks and trailers that support the cast)? For a modest shoot, a space with street parking within 100 metres is significantly more usable than a more attractive space with no vehicle access.
Third: flexible occupants. Productions need a point of contact who responds promptly, accommodates slightly longer days when shooting runs over, and doesn’t panic when 15 people turn up. Properties where the owner is difficult to reach or rigid about the hours lose bookings.
The insurance conversation
Before accepting any booking, contact your buildings and contents insurer. Most domestic property insurance policies either exclude commercial activities or require notification. Production companies carry their own public liability insurance (typically £5–10 million) which covers their activities, but this doesn’t remove your obligation to your own insurer.
For recurring commercial hires, you may be advised to take out a specific short-term letting or commercial events insurance supplement. The cost is usually modest relative to the hire income.
Where to list
The main UK platforms for film and photography location hire:
Amazing Space (amazingspace.co.uk): well-established UK platform; good for residential and unusual spaces; charges a commission on completed bookings.
Shoot Factory (shootfactory.co.uk): strong in London and the South East; attracts advertising and editorial photography.
Location Collective (locationcollective.com): focuses on premium properties and high-value production.
Tagvenue (tagvenue.com): broader events platform that includes film and photography hire; useful for reaching smaller commercial shoots.
Giggster (giggster.com): US-founded platform with a growing UK inventory; attracts a mix of production and events bookings.
You can list on multiple platforms simultaneously. Manage your calendar carefully to avoid double bookings — production enquiries can convert quickly.
How to photograph your property
Production teams and location scouts reviewing listings look at photos before they contact you. Use good natural light, shoot at the widest angle your camera allows without distortion, and show every distinct area of the property including storage spaces, bathrooms and anything unusual. Don’t try to make the property look better than it is — a scout who visits expecting something different from the photos will not book.
Include at least one external image showing the approach, parking and surrounding street — this is the context that tells a location manager whether the logistics work.
Setting your rate
Research comparable listings on the same platforms. Properties in London, Edinburgh and other high-demand cities command higher rates. For a residential property used for photography, a day rate of £600–1,500 in London or £300–700 outside London is a reasonable starting range.
For film (which involves larger crews, longer days and more disruption), add 30–50% to your photography rate as a starting point.
The neighbour conversation
Productions on a residential street will generate noise, vehicles and strangers. Your neighbours will notice. A production that turns up without any warning to the street creates complaints that land on both the production and on you. The better location hosts tell their immediate neighbours in advance, and some provide the neighbours with a contact number for the day of the shoot.