Suspension of bidding on Bristol City Council properties

In light of the Prime Minister’s statement on Monday 23rd March 2020, and the decision to increase social distancing measures across the country, we have made a decision to suspend advertising of Bristol City Council homes via our Choice Based Lettings system, with immediate effect.  We are very sorry for the inconvenience this may cause.

What if I have been matched to a property in a previous week’s bidding cycle?

If you have been matched to a Bristol City Council property, a Housing Officer will be in touch with you in due course to discuss the next steps.

 If you have been offered a home with a Housing Association, please liaise directly with the Housing Association for more information.

Why has advertising of Bristol City Council properties been suspended?

The government have increased social distancing measures across the UK. We have therefore made the decision to suspend the advertising of properties via HomeChoiceBristol until further notice.

Will you be advertising any properties during this period?

Bristol City council won’t be advertising any properties. Whilst the majority of our Housing Association partners have also decided to stop advertising, there are some housing associations that are choosing to continue to advertise. For those properties being advertised, the bidding cycle will continue as normal between Tuesdays and Sundays.

I’m homeless and have nowhere to live. What do I do?

All possession proceedings in both private rented and social housing have been cancelled due to the covid-19 crisis so please do not leave your home. If you are being asked to leave by family and friends, the Homelessness Prevention Team offers a mediation service to help you stay indoors for as long as possible – you can contact them on 0117 352 6800.

If you are homeless tonight, please call the Homelessness Prevention Team who will  call you back as soon as they can.

Will I lose my priority if I’m unable to bid?

No. You will not lose your priority because you can’t bid

What if I am offered a property but I am unable to move due to self-isolation?

The property will be held for you until you are able to move and normal services resume.

I am due to complete a Mutual Exchange soon. Will this still go ahead?

We are unable to process Mutual Exchanges at the moment. We will be contacting all tenants who have already applied. You can still apply to exchange and we will be in touch as soon as we are able to visit you. Please do not exchange prior to permission being granted.

Can I still apply for HomeChoice Bristol?

You can still apply for HomeChoice Bristol and your application will be assessed in accordance with the HomeChoice Bristol Allocation Scheme.

I'm struggling to pay my rent. Can I get any additional financial help?

Please note, that if you are only applying for HomeChoice Bristol because your income has reduced and you are struggling to pay your rent, you may be able to get additional financial help to pay your rent and other essential bills. Please go to http://www.bristol.gov.uk/benefits-financial-help/covid-19-financial-help for more information on the help available.

Our Privacy Policy is now available

WAITING TIMES - Once you have registered your household, completed and submitted your HomeChoice Bristol application form your application will be assessed and you will be told if you qualify to be included on HomeChoice Bristol. 
It is currently taking 18-20 weeks to assess a new application and 22-24 weeks to assess changes of circumstances on an application. We will contact you once your application has been assessed. The waiting list is very long, even people with the greatest need often wait several years before they get a council property.

You must tell us if there are any changes in your circumstances.

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