With available housing stock low and demand sky high, it comes as no great surprise that people looking at renting houses in Bristol are finding it a very tough market at the moment.
“It is a Bristol-wide phenomenon, we put a property up in Kingswood and we get 200 phone calls, we put a property up in Clifton and we get 200 phone calls … it is literally anywhere with a BS1 postcode,” said Ben Giles, Managing Director of Balloon Letting Co.
“The phone will ring non-stop until we are fully booked and the demand is so high and we are getting offers to take properties with 12 months’ rent upfront without people actually seeing the place.”
Consistently named one of the best places to live in the U.K by The Sunday Times, Bristol seemingly has everything you’d want from a city.
Two good universities and an environmentally friendly reputation mean it is a big draw for students letting in Bristol, many of whom choose to stay in the city long after they have graduated, while there is no shortage of job opportunities for young professionals seeking to work in the creative media, electronics and aerospace industries that Bristol’s economy is built around.
Bristol retains an edgy, independent urban spirit made famous by street artist Banksy but still has plenty of green spaces to tap into the more chilled vibe that the West Country is famous for.
And should you ever feel the need to leave all this behind, whether it’s for work or to see what the rest of the country has to offer, Bristol is so well positioned in the motorway network that London, the Midlands, Devon and the best parts of Wales can be reached within an hour and a half.
Living in Bristol sounds like a dream and, for those who aren’t quick off the mark or focus their energy in the wrong direction, that’s what it remains … a dream. So how can you make the dream become a reality?
Here are some of our top tips for getting to the front of the queue when searching for the perfect place to rent in this great city of ours.
Browse until you’ve worn out the search button
It’s important to be looking on all the main property portals – Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket – as well as agency Instagram pages – throughout the day, setting up notifications to alert you whenever a property within your area and budget first becomes available.
Once a property comes up, there is a very short time window for you to act. Don’t bother emailing agents, always call. Most lettings agents in Bristol have a small staff and by the time an agent gets around to answering an email, they’ll have had hundreds of calls and viewings will already be fully booked.
Realistically you need to be one of the first callers within the first hour so you need to call relentlessly until you get through.
Virtual viewings are a no-no
A lot of virtual viewings were done during the pandemic for obvious reasons and continue to be an option for people outside of Bristol who are looking to relocate to the city.
However, it is firmly our belief that landlords prefer prospective tenants to see a property in person and will take their interest/application much more seriously if they do.
If this is physically impossible to look around the place yourself due to the demands of work, our advice is to try and get someone to view the property on your behalf.
As available viewing slots are so few and far between, you need to be flexible and work your daily life around them as much as you can.
Be decisive
It is not unusual for us to receive multiple offers immediately after the prospective tenant(s) has viewed the property, nor is it uncommon for properties to be going over the asking rent.
We do not advise people to go over the advertised rental price because rental inflation is a problem as it is, especially in popular places such as Bristol. But, as they say, to be forewarned is to be forearmed and a small increase may be one that you are prepared to pay to avoid missing out.
Divide to conquer
Another massive problem in central Bristol is the change to the HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) Law. In the past, landlords needed a license if there were five people from different households sharing communal areas like kitchens, living rooms etc. but that has now gone down to three tenants in 12 central wards.
Before getting a licence, a local authority must agree that the landlord is fit to hold a licence and the property must meet the required rules and regulations. Fitting fire doors and smoke alarms all comes at a cost and non-professional landlords, commonly referred to as circumstantial landlords (those who rent their home whilst they are working overseas, for example) may decide it is not worth the extra cost and hassle.
Renting three-bed properties in some central wards has become much harder as a result. We have had cases in Southville where tenants have been evicted from three-bed houses because the landlord cannot afford the license and the cost of the upgrade work needed on the property and has subsequently let it out to two people instead.
So, if there are three of you planning to rent a place together it might be worth splitting the group up so that two share and the other person goes it alone. It may not be too palatable a solution to some but that’s where we are with the rental property market in Bristol right now.
Don’t be afraid to ask for advice
We are here to offer help and support for people who are struggling to find a place to live whether you are successful with us or not.
Bristol has many great areas and, with our local knowledge, we might be able to recommend other postcodes/wards just as suitable as the original ones you were looking at.
