Get advice on how to resolve your housing problems and prevent you and your household from becoming homeless
Bristol's housing in numbers
Bristol has about 200,000 homes:
- 100,000 (50%) are owner occupied; lived in by people who have bought or are buying them
- 60,000 (30%) are privately rented; let to tenants by private landlords
- 39,000 homes (18%) are social housing; provided by the council (27,000) and its partner housing associations (12,000)
Most homes have people living in them as owners or tenants.
At any one time, more private rented homes are advertised on HomeChoice Bristol than the number of social housing homes advertised in a whole year.
This is why we recommend that you try to find privately rented housing and, if possible, stay with family or friends while you look for a home. The wait for social housing can be years, even for people with a high priority.
Get housing advice
Before you contact us, check our ‘Get housing advice' pages. You may be able to find the information you need there.
If you have a professional working with you, such as a health worker, support worker, probation officer or adviser, you may need to read our ‘Get Housing Advice' pages with them.
You can also get them to contact us on your behalf.
If you have nowhere to stay tonight, or you're about to become homeless
You can come to see us at our Citizen Service Point (CSP) if you:
- have not been able to find a solution to your housing problems using our housing advice
- are worried about having somewhere to stay tonight
- are going to become homeless within the next 8 weeks (56 days)
Housing help interview
When you come to the CSP you can have a housing help interview. This will almost always be on the day you come in.
We'll ask about:
- you and your family
- where you've been living
- your health
- what your housing problems are
We'll also give you expert advice and refer you to services who can resolve your housing problems.
If you have them, it's helpful to bring personal documents such as your:
- passport or ID card
- eviction notice
- tenancy agreement
- proof of income, such as bank statements, wage slips or proof of benefits
- child benefit or tax credit letter and birth certificates
- pregnancy confirmation
- medical condition confirmation
- immigration status confirmation
Appointment with a housing advisor
If your housing help interview doesn't solve your housing problems, you might be offered an appointment to see a housing advisor from our Homelessness Prevention Team.
It's very important to be open and honest with housing advisors so that they can give you the best and most accurate advice.
If the housing advisor believes you're at risk of homelessness, they'll do all they can to prevent it. They'll also make a Personal Housing Plan with you.
Personal Housing Plan (PHP)
A PHP will have actions that you and the housing advisor have agreed to take.
For example, you might agree to talk with your landlord about paying off rent arrears or family members and friends to see if they can give you somewhere to stay temporarily.
A housing advisor might also give you advice and support such as:
- what your rights are as a tenant
- how you can talk to your family and friends if they've told you to leave their home
- how to find private rented accommodation
- other organisations who may be able to help you
If you have a PHP and you do not work with us on it, we might not be able to continue helping you.
If your PHP is unsuccessful, we may still be able to help you. Your housing advisor will talk to you about this.
If you're working with other professionals
If you have another professional working with you, such as a social worker or probation officer, they can also refer you using our referral form.
After we've received the common referral form we may offer you an appointment with a housing advisor. We'll also be able to give advice to the professional who is supporting you.
Emergency situations
If you have an emergency or believe you're in danger, at risk or vulnerable outside of our working hours (after 5pm on weekdays, weekends or public holidays), go to your nearest police station.
If you suddenly become homeless and have nowhere to stay outside our working hours, call the Emergency Duty Team on 01454 615 165.
Domestic abuse and violence
The Keeping Bristol Safe Partnership website has details of national organisations that can give support and advice on the type of violence or abuse.
Our local provider of domestic abuse support in Bristol is Next Link Plus.
Find out more about abuse and violence.
More information and help
- Shelter: housing and homelessness charity
- Housing Matters: housing and homeless advice
- Next Link: domestic abuse and violence
- SARI: Stand Against Racism and Inequality
- Bristol Mind: mental health
- ACFA: a network of advice centres in the South West of England