The Housing Options and Homelessness Team offers a free and confidential advice service on a wide range of housing matters for people who live in the Bath and North East Somerset area. 

Appointments to see an adviser can be booked in advance by phoning 01225 396296.  In an emergency people can be interviewed immediately.  We also offer appointments at Council Connect at The Hollies in Midsomer Norton on Tuesday mornings 9.30 til 12.30.

Opening times:

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 8.30am  - 5.00pm
Wednesday 9.30am - 5.00pm
Friday 8.30am - 4.30pm

If you need help outside of office hours, please contact the emergency duty team on 01454 615165.

Email: housing@bathnes.gov.uk

Drop in: Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath
               Council Connect, The Hollies, Midsomer Norton.

One of our main roles is to prevent homelessness and to work with service users to find a solution for their immediate and longer term needs by offering practical guidance.  If you are experiencing problems with paying your rent or mortgage, it is important that you seek advice quickly.  We can give you legal advice and can refer you for specialist support to assist you in dealing with your landlord or lender.

Moving or finding a private rented home

If you are looking to move or find a home, it is always better to try and give yourself plenty of time for a planned moved.  We can provide you with advice and information on finding and paying for private rented accommodation. You can refer to our more detailed guide Finding and paying for private rented accommodation.

We have now started to advertise private rented properties on the Homesearch website so that local accredited private landlords and lettings agents can advertise their available accommodation. These landlords will consider people who are receiving Local Housing Allowance (Housing benefit).

Please contact the landlord directly with any queries regarding the properties advertised on the Homesearch advert.

Homefinder Scheme

The purpose of the Homefinder Scheme is to prevent homelessness by assisting eligible and willing household’s secure private rented accommodation.  The scheme has been expanded to include households who are now ready for independent living, that are currently in supported housing, or in receipt of support that is funded by Supporting People Services.

Home Swapper

Home Swapper is for Housing Association or council tenants who want to swap with other tenants, either here or in other parts of the country. The Home Swapper scheme is popular particularly now that it is available on the Internet by logging onto www.homeswapper.co.uk and registering.  You can also apply to go on your landlords transfer waiting list by contacting your landlord directly for advice and an application form.

Homesearch - social housing register

Bath and North East Somerset Council does not own any council houses but we  administer the Homesearch housing register which is a choice based lettings system.  We work in partnership with the majority of Housing Associations who are landlords of social housing in our area.  The register currently has almost 8000 households registeres.  This means that lettings are usually made to those in greatest housing need and many applicants have to wait a number of years. 

More information is available at www.homesearchbathnes.org.uk

Low Cost Home Ownership

If you are considering buying a home but cannot afford to do so outright,  either because you cannot afford the full mortgage payments or the deposit, or both, this could be an option for you. Some schemes may offer you a purchase share in a property with an opportunity of buying more shares at a later date.  Other schemes will provide you with a loan to enable you to purchase a property of your own choosing.  Anyone who is interested in low cost home ownership needs to contact Home2own the Homebuy Agent for the South West. 

Home2own operates and maintains the Low Cost Home Ownership Register.  Registered Providers (formerly known as Housing Associations) with low cost home ownership homes for sale obtain a list of potential purchasers from Home2own by matching details of applicants on the register to the properties available.

To obtain an application form and guidance notes from Home2own either telephone 0300 100 0021or by website www.home2own.org.uk.

Supported housing

Supported housing is available for people of all ages who may need support to live independently.  It includes lodgings for young people, sheltered housing for the elderly and supported housing for people with mental or physical disabilities.

• Low-support hostels offer accommodation to people in housing need, but for only a limited time.
• Low to medium supportive hostels provides accommodation for people wanting to live fairly independently with some personal support.
• Higher support hostels give accommodation for up to 2 year with an emphasis on counselling, education and training, and they aim to prepare their residents for independent living.

If you think this may be the option for you ask the Housing Options and Homelessness Team for more detailed information on all the projects and their referral criteria.

Emergency night shelter accommodation

If all else fails and you don’t have friends or family who can let you sofa surf for a while, you can try the Night Shelter at Julian House.  Our reception has leaflets on the Services provided by Julian House.  www.julianhouse.org.uk

This information can be made available in a range of languages, large print, Braille, on tape, electronic and accessible formats.  Contact the Information Officer on 01225 477983, Minicom 01225 477043 or email information_officer@bathnes.gov.uk