Listing your home for filming and photography is one of the easier ways to earn from a property without renting it out. The work happens occasionally rather than constantly, the income per day is high, and a good agency handles almost everything for you. Here’s how it works.

You contact LC Locations as your chosen leading location agency, send us photos and a short description of your home, and if it’s a good fit we will list it on our books — free. When briefs come in that match your property, we call you. You can say yes or no. If you say yes, we arrange the recce, negotiate the fee, and handles the shoot day. After the shoot, you’re paid the location fee minus commission.

You don’t need professional photography to start. Phone snaps that show each room, the exterior, and any standout features are enough. The agency will take its own photos if your property is accepted.

In your initial message, include:

— Your name, location, and the postcode area (full postcode not needed yet) — A short description: type of property, number of rooms, key features — Whether you’ve shot at the home before (if so, what) — Any restrictions: the only-mornings rule, no-shoes-indoors, can’t shoot in the master bedroom, etc.

Step 3 — The recce or sign-up

If we are interested, we’ll either visit in person (most common for higher-value properties) or accept your photos and list straight away. We’ll write the listing, set an indicative day rate, and give you an idea of the kinds of productions you can expect.

Step 4 — Receiving briefs

A brief comes in when a producer is looking for a property like yours. We’ll call or messages you with the basics:

— Production company — Type of shoot (film / TV drama / commercial / stills / music video) — Dates — Crew size — Proposed fee — Areas of the house they want to use

You can say yes, no, or ask questions. There’s no penalty for saying no.

Step 5 — Recce, contract, deposit

If you agree, the production usually wants to recce in person — they walk through the house, check practicalities, and confirm the plan. The agency arranges this for you. After the recce, the agency issues a contract, takes a deposit if required, and confirms the booking.

Step 6 — The shoot day

On the day, do a walk-through with the production at the start, hand them the keys to the relevant areas, and stay reachable by phone. At wrap, do a final walk-through, agree any overtime or damages with the producer, and the crew leaves. Most shoots run smoothly — but it’s worth being there for the start and end.

Step 7 — Payment

The production pays the agency. The agency deducts commission and pays you. UK payment terms are usually 14-30 days from invoice, depending on the production’s status.

What you can earn

Realistically, expect:

— £500-£2,500 per day for stills / editorial / smaller productions — £1,500-£8,000 per day for commercials and branded content — £3,000-£15,000+ per day for high-end TV drama and features

Most listed homes do somewhere between 5 and 30 shoot days a year, depending on the property and how flexible the owner is.

What productions look for

Producers and photographers love properties that:

— Have natural light through most of the day — Have a distinctive aesthetic (period, modernist, industrial, character) — Have parking nearby (especially for crew) — Are close to studios (Pinewood, Shepperton, Leavesden, Elstree, Eastbrook, 3 Mills, Longcross) — Have flexible owners who can host shoots at short notice

What might disqualify your home

Some properties don’t work for filming, even if they’re beautiful. Common dealbreakers:

— Heavy traffic or sound issues — No parking within walking distance — Restrictive leasehold or tenancy agreements — Inflexible scheduling availability

Frequently asked questions

How much do I have to be involved? Less than you might expect. Most owners aren’t on set during the shoot — just the morning walk-through and the end-of-day wrap.

What if my home is damaged? Take photos at the time, send them to your agency within 24 hours. Your agency negotiates the cost with the production. The production is responsible for the damage cost.

Will my address be made public? No. Reputable agencies share your address only with confirmed clients, after the contract is signed.

What insurance do I need? The production carries its own public liability insurance — we confirm this before any shoot.