Advice needed about finding accommodation/areas in Bristol ASAP

[lovemyboyz247]

I need some advice as soon as possible as we only have a month to find a solution

You will see from previous posts I was helping my friend and her family last year after a domestic violence incident. Just to briefly explain her son failed his A levels and failed to get into an apprenticeship after witnessing an attack on his mum by his dad. He chose to retake and this year he passed getting grade As. We are so proud of him as his mental health was at rock bottom this time last year so he did amazingly well to turn his life around while dealing with trauma and trying to support his family during a difficult time.

Anyway, back to the point of my post. His apprenticeship is in Bristol and he doesn’t have any connections there so is looking for a place to live. This is where I need some help. He is looking for something small. One bed. One bathroom, flat/apartment near Temple Meads area. He’s fine to walk if it’s a little further out. The problem is he has some anxiety/health issues and doesn’t feel comfortable sharing but cannot find a place on his own. Agents are all refusing to accept him as a tenant because even though he is working and he has enough money to put down a deposit and will have rent money, every agent he has contacted has refused him because he is classed as a student.

Two things I need help and advise with are, can anyone recommend how he can get round this?

Where is the best areas to live near Temple Meads area?

His start date is first week of September, so he needs a place to stay asap but at the moment he can’t find anywhere. His budget is around £1500 per month. Some agents are saying he needs to be earning 30times his rent. Not sure if he’s misunderstood this or if this a normal process.

I live and have always lived in London so don’t know anything about Bristol. He has younger siblings and mum (who is my friend) and she doesn’t want him to miss out on the apprenticeship because he’s unable to find accommodation and has even considered moving with him for her to secure accommodation, but I feel this would be a massive upheaval for her and her other children and then they would need a bigger place which would add to the cost and I don’t think she’s thinking logically because it would mean changing schools for her younger kids and surely there is a better solution.

I have often relied on this forum to give helpful advice and would appreciate some now. As I said time is limited as he’s meant to start in a few weeks.

Thank you

I think you need specific student accommodation. Looking at Google maps there's Transom House and Zinc quarter near Temple Meads and these types have a range of options as private flats.
No idea on price, availability or quality. It seems very last minute so your options are likely to be expensive

Or look more at being a lodger - sharing, but probably more privacy than a house share and you aren't trying to to rent like a working professional

Is the apprenticeship near temple meads then? Bristol is an expensive city with loads of students, I think he’ll struggle to get what he wants.
Could he live further out and train in? Would be cheaper and more choice

May be a long shot but we are between a house sale and a new house and we're renting through an Estate Agent based in Whitchurch, which is on the southern outskirts of Bristol. He - the guy who runs his own EA - has been lovely and helpful and is definitely not your average EA. We're in a wee house in Whitchurch costing us 1600 pm and Temple Meads is about 40 minutes walk or 15 minutes on bus, and the EA operates over all of South Bristol. Temple Meads is south. So this EA just might have something. Worth making an enquiry.
https://www.mg-estateagents.co.uk/

I do know a bit about the different areas, but with so little time I don't think a description of the best areas would help much. South / East of the river generally cheaper. Transport can be difficult and traffic heavy, especially around Temple Meads - consider a bike or a connecting local train

he might be better in a share, those doing a masters will be more studious and quieter than year 2s for example.

alternatively would the apprenticeship give advice?

I found a room on spare room.com in Bristol.

The council do a great thing with e bikes - they lend you an electric bike for a month free trial so that might save money if he has to live further away temporarily.

Sounds like he just needs to sort something for a month or a few months and then once he is there and on the course he will get to know people and the areas, see adverts etc and can find something better.

Thank you to everyone who has replied. Really appreciate it. I will definitely be contacting the estate agent that has been recommended.

I will look into the other suggestions too and share them with him and his mum. The apprenticeship is in Temple Meads. For posters who have suggested he could live further out and get a train in, can you suggest any areas in particular?

St Anne’s, St Philips, Redfield,Oldmarket,Bedminster, Bath rd, all not too far away from Temple Meads station.

He could look at one of the satellite towns with rail links to Bristol such as Nailsea, Yate or Keynsham.

Can his mum act as guarantor?

Thank you.

Yes, his mum is happy to act as his guarantor

Try cliftonshortlets. Will get a room with a lock in large house for around his budget, bills included. Discount for staying one month plus. Will have large shared kitchen and shared bathroom. Very flexible and way to get started. Son is currently there as gap between current accommodation and leaving Bristol.

Look on rightmove Lawrence Hill (or along that train line). One stop out from Temple Meads (about 4 mins on the train ) and walkable. Several studio and 1 bed flats in budget. Maybe they’ve done that and encountered the problems with agents that you reported? I would have thought they’d accept him with a guarantor, though?

Also look at private student accommodation in the city centre. That’s proliferated due to the shortage of uni student accommodation in Bristol, not attached to either uni, and possibly flexible enough to take young people like your friend’s ds, who aren’t actually students. E.g.
https://wearehomesforstudents.com/student-accommodation/bristol/harbour-court
Worth a try?
Good luck. Hope it all falls into place for them, and what a lovely friend you are!

There is an app called “friends of friendz” which is like spare rooms but tends to be the tenants themselves looking for someone to take a room - so they can choose who they live with. I don’t know how active it is in Bristol area - DD is in London and has used it.

If people hadn't insisted on hounding landlords out of business, there would be no problem finding accommodation.

Thank you to everyone. I knew I would get the best advice from here.

This is just what I needed to help with getting some direction on various options.

Hi OP @lovemyboyz247, have your friend and her son looked on Gumtree? Bristol has a very active site so that might be useful. There's also In my neighbourhood app, maybe try posting there? Good luck!

Try looking in the area around Asda in Bedminster. There are a lot of flats being built around there and it seems to be mostly young professionals moving in. It's around 15 minutes walk to Temple Meads by foot, and by bike it's flat and a direct cycle path next to the river. £1500 a month should be enough for a one bed.

It's near North Street in Southville (lots of independent shops and restaurants, well known for its street art), as well as Wapping Wharf and the harbourside. It would be my choice if I was your friend's son.

Also check out the Paintworks development:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/165617366#/?channel=RES_LET