Can they do that? Brighton & Hove
All questions

Free advice in Brighton & Hove

If you’ve had an eviction notice or a court date, say so straight away.

Housing advice

BHT Sussex: Brighton Advice Service Specialist housing advice for people who are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or renting a home in serious disrepair.1 If your landlord has given you notice to end your tenancy, you automatically qualify for legal help under Legal Aid.2 If disrepair is affecting your health, you can get Legal Aid if you pass a financial means test.3 01273 645 455 (Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4.30pm) · advice@bht.org.uk · drop in to 144 London Road, Brighton, BN1 4PH, Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm4

BHT Sussex: help on the day of a court hearing If you have a possession hearing at the County Court in Brighton, a BHT Sussex housing adviser is at the court. Arrive about 30 minutes early and ask at the court for the BHT Sussex Duty Adviser.5

Citizens Advice Brighton & Hove Free, confidential advice for people living in the BN1, BN2, BN3 and BN41 postcodes. Its volunteers can explain the processes, but they can’t give legal advice.6 Freephone 0808 278 7815 (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm; Tuesday 9.30am to 12.30pm). Its online enquiry form is closed at the moment.7 Drop-ins on Monday afternoons from 1.15pm, and Thursday and Friday mornings from 9.15am, at Tisbury Road Offices, Hove Town Hall, BN3 3BQ. Spaces are limited.8

Shelter A national charity with a free helpline for people in England who are homeless, have nowhere to stay tonight, are at risk of harm at home, or are worried about losing their home in the next 2 months.9 0808 800 4444 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm). You might wait over an hour at busy times. For other housing problems, use Shelter’s advice pages.10

The council

The Housing Advice Team helps if you’re homeless or at risk of losing your home.11 Contact them as soon as you get a notice. 01273 294 400 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 1.30pm) · online form: they aim to reply within 10 working days.12 Help desk at Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, BN3 3BQ: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm, Wednesday 11am to 4.30pm.13 The council says to contact this team about illegal eviction or harassment.14

Private Sector Housing deals with disrepair, damp and mould, other health and safety problems, and licensing of shared houses (HMOs).15 01273 293 156 (9am to 3pm) · psh@brighton-hove.gov.uk · ask for help with repairs16

Trading Standards enforces the ban on rental bidding, refusing tenants on benefits or with children, asking for rent in advance, and not showing the rent in an advert.17 Report these through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline, which passes reports on to Trading Standards.18 0808 223 1133 (free; Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)19

Students

Renters organising together

ACORN is a members’ union for renters, with an office in Brighton. It supports members who pay dues with problems such as repairs, deposits, rent increases, harassment, unfair fees and eviction.23 Use the “Report a housing issue” form on ACORN’s contact page.

References

  1. Brighton Specialist Housing Advice. BHT Sussex. BHT Sussex provides housing advice to people who are homeless, threatened with homelessness, or living in rented accommodation which has serious disrepair. ↩

  2. Brighton Specialist Housing Advice. BHT Sussex. Anyone who is threatened with homelessness will automatically qualify for legal help under Legal Aid. This includes: Tenants who received a notice from their landlord to end their tenancy ↩

  3. Brighton Specialist Housing Advice. BHT Sussex. If you are homeless or there is significant disrepair in your rented property which affects your health, you will be eligible for legal help under Legal Aid provided you meet a financial means test. ↩

  4. Brighton Specialist Housing Advice. BHT Sussex, under “How to contact the service”. 01273 645455 | Monday to Thursday from 9am – 5pm, Friday from 9am – 4.30pm. advice@bht.org.uk BHT Sussex, 144 London Road, Brighton, BN1 4PH Call in during reception times Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm ↩

  5. The In Court Duty Scheme. BHT Sussex. A specialist Housing Adviser from BHT Sussex attends the County Court in Brighton when possession cases are being heard. you need to arrive at court about 30 minutes before your hearing is listed. When you arrive, ask at the court for the BHT Sussex Duty Adviser. ↩

  6. Get advice. Citizens Advice Brighton and Hove. We provide free, confidential and impartial advice. we can only help people who live within these postcodes: BN1, BN2, BN3, BN41. our Volunteer Advisers can help people understand the processes but we are not able to give legal advice. ↩

  7. Get advice. Citizens Advice Brighton and Hove, under “Call us” and “Get help online”. Freephone 08082 78 78 15 Monday 09.30 – 12.30 and 13.30 – 15.30 Tuesday 09.30 – 12.30 Wednesday 09.30 – 12.30 and 13.30 – 15.30 Thursday 09.30 – 12.30 and 13.30 -15.30 Friday 09.30 – 12.30 and 13.30 – 15.30 Our online enquiries are currently closed. Please check again later. ↩

  8. Get advice. Citizens Advice Brighton and Hove, under “Visit us for our drop-in”. Drop-ins are on Monday afternoons from 1.15pm and Thursday and Friday mornings from 9.15am at Tisbury Road Offices, Hove Town Hall, Tisbury Road, Hove, BN3 3BQ. Spaces are very limited ↩

  9. Our free helpline. Shelter. Our advisers can help if: you are homeless you have nowhere to stay tonight you are at risk of abuse or harm at home you are worried about losing your home in the next 2 months We only advise on housing law in England. ↩

  10. Our free helpline. Shelter. Open: Mon to Fri, 8am to 5pm Call our free helpline 0808 800 4444 Our helpline is in high demand. You might wait over an hour at busy times. Try our advice pages if you cannot get through or have another type of housing problem. ↩

  11. Get support if you are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Brighton & Hove City Council. If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness you can contact our Housing Advice service. ↩

  12. Get support if you are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Brighton & Hove City Council. We aim to respond to you within 10 working days. Housing options advice and information 01273 294 400 Our phone lines are open Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 1:30pm. ↩

  13. Housing Advice and Homelessness Help Desk. Brighton & Hove City Council. Visit the Housing Advice and Homelessness Help Desk at Hove Town Hall to get support from Housing Officers. Hove Town Hall Norton Road, Hove, BN3 3BQ Opening hours Monday 9:30 am-4:30 pm Tuesday 9:30 am-4:30 pm Wednesday 11:00 am-4:30 pm Thursday 9:30 am-4:30 pm Friday 9:30 am-4:30 pm ↩

  14. Renters’ Rights Act. Brighton & Hove City Council. If you need to report a breach after 1 May 2026, contact the following teams: for unlawful eviction or harassment, contact our Housing Advice Team for property disrepair issues, contact our Private Sector Housing Team ↩

  15. Private Sector Housing. Brighton & Hove City Council. If your property is in disrepair and your landlord is not fixing it or if it’s caused by a neighbouring property, you can ask for help to get repairs. For any other questions about health and safety issues in your property or for HMO (houses in multiple occupation) licensing, contact us. ↩

  16. Private Sector Housing. Brighton & Hove City Council. 01273 293 156 psh@brighton-hove.gov.uk Ask us for help to get housing repairs Our phone lines are open from 9am to 3pm. ↩

  17. Renters’ Rights Act. Brighton & Hove City Council. The following elements of the Renters Rights Act are enforced by Trading Standards: discrimination based on benefits or children rental bidding requirement to pay rent in advance failure to display rent To report any of these issues, contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service. ↩

  18. Reporting to Trading Standards. Citizens Advice. To report to Trading Standards, you need to contact the Citizens Advice consumer service. We’ll pass your report to Trading Standards ↩

  19. Contact the consumer service. Citizens Advice. Citizens Advice consumer helpline: 0808 223 1133 Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Calls from mobiles and landlines are free. ↩

  20. Support. University of Sussex Students’ Union. The Student Union advice team provide advice on University-related issues and housing for every Sussex student. For information about finding accommodation, and problems which arise while renting University accommodation or privately rented accommodation ↩

  21. Support. University of Sussex Students’ Union. STUDENT ADVICE EMAIL advice@sussexstudent.com ↩

  22. Advice. Brighton Students’ Union. We offer free, confidential advice and support to all Brighton students our Advice and Support service is available Monday – Friday all year round. To access the service, please complete our Case Form below If you have any problems with accessing or completing the form … please let us know via bsusupport@brighton.ac.uk ↩

  23. Contact. ACORN. Brighton Office Report a housing issue ACORN can support dues paying members going through all kinds of tenancy issues including neglected repairs and maintenance, deposit theft, rent increases, landlord harassment, unfair fees or charges and eviction. ↩