My employer wants to inspect my home for Health and Safety reasons. Am I obliged to let him ?

Firstly it is important to realise that all employer’s have a Statutory “duty of care” to all of their employees whilst they are executing their contractual duties to the employer – whenever and wherever that duty is being performed, even if is not part of a company’s formal “teleworking” programme.  This duty applies equally to both home workers, office-based and “mobile” staff.
The employer’s Home Working Policy should spell out exactly what the requirements are with regard to risk management and insurance, and specifically with regard to visits to the employee’s home.  Sometimes the requirement for a visit is stipulated in the employer’s Privacy Policy.  The employee may be asked to sign an agreement or accept these requirements or terms before being allowed to work at home.  These requirements may, in some cases, form part of the employee’s Terms and Conditions of Employment.  Where the home working policy does not clearly specify that a home visit is required, there is then room for doubt as to whether such a visit can in fact be made obligatory.  Any such home visits should be conducted after mutual understanding and agreement have been reached between the employer and the home worker.
Some employers conduct a preliminary visit to the employee’s home as part of their Home Working Programme’s formal induction process.  This is designed to assist the employer’s/line manager’s awareness and understanding of the home working environment.  It may also help the employer to determine if the home working situation is sufficient in terms of the personal security of the employee whilst “at work”, as well as to identify any requirements for improvements in home security provisions, fire precautions, data security and so on.
Where expert advisors conduct the home visit they may in fact be able to help the employee by making suggestions as to how to set up the home office.   Where such visits have been conducted in the past, some employers may then advise that it would be inappropriate for the home worker to conduct business meetings in their home, perhaps because of the negative impact on the other users of the home or because of concerns over the physical safety and wellbeing of the home worker.  The advice gien sometimes extends to recommended improvements in electrical supply and safety, seating and work areas, heating , ventilation and lighting.  Again, the Home Working Policy must specify if any costs incurred to implement these improvements will be met by the employer and how they are to be claimed by the employee.
Finally, some insurance companies insist that employers conduct a visit to the employee’s home as part of the corporate risk management procedures, before working at home can begin.  Some insurance companies advise/require their clients to define a “cordon” or clearly defined boundary around the area of the home that is to be used for home working.
In general, most employed home workers seem to welcome the prospect of a home visit as they feel it shows that the employer is actually taking an interest in their well being and development – rather than just “checking up on them”