EnglandOne-to-one advice by phone for professionals and volunteers who help clients with housing and homelessness cases.
This service was formerly known as the National Homelessness Advice Service (NHAS).
If you are seeking advice for yourself, a friend, a family member or an acquaintance and not as an employee or volunteer for an organisation, please visit our Get Help page.
Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm excluding bank holidays.
The Expert Housing Advice Service is free for eligible organisations
Please have relevant documents to hand when you call
At busy periods, waiting times can be up to 30 minutes. Please bear with us in times of high demand. We will answer your enquiry as quickly as we can.
Our online advice could help you quickly answer your query. Find out more.
Gather as much information as you can about your client's housing situation.
If you aren't sure what to ask, try our checker tools and guides for help to determine things like what tenancy your client has, or what to ask about homeless applications.
Find our tools and guides for professionals.
Please don't share your client's personal details with us. You must remove information from documents that could identify your client, such as their name, address, or date of birth.
We will return any documents that contain identifying information for you to resubmit. Help us to help you avoid a delay by preparing any documents in advance.
We are funded to deliver phone and webchat services to organisations in England that provide housing or homelessness advice to their service users.
This includes organisations that provide debt and benefits advice to help improve their clients' housing situation.
You are eligible to use our services if you work for a:
local Citizens Advice
local authority
voluntary or charitable organisation
public authority, like prisons, probation services, jobcentres, or health services
We cannot provide phone and webchat services to:
organisations based outside England
companies that charge clients fees for advice or services
housing associations
community interest companies (CICs)
tenant management organisations (TMOs)
private companies
Our online advice is available to anyone from any organisation.
Get in touch by email at ExpertHousingAdviceService@shelter.org.uk.
Contact our expert housing advisers for help with cases like:
local authority homelessness applications and allocations of social housing
notices and court action for eviction of tenants
poor housing conditions and disrepair
problems during private tenancies
For help with mortgage problems and debt queries contact Shelter's Specialist Debt Advice Service.
If you would rather get advice over webchat, you can contact us during our opening hours
Try our webchatOur online advice for professionals could help you find a quick answer to your question.
A landlord can serve a valid section 21 notice to end an assured shorthold tenancy without proving a ground for possession.
A fully referenced outline of the homeless application process including how to apply, the local authority duties, and challenging decisions.
Suitability of homelessness accommodation
Accommodation offered, secured, or provided by a local authority under a homeless duty must be suitable.
Rent increases for private tenants
Private landlords of assured and assured shorthold tenants can increase the rent if certain conditions are met.
Use our dedicated housing advice line on 0330 053 2299 Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm excluding bank holidays.
Our online advice for professionals could help to answer your question quickly.
Find out more on Shelter Legal, including our section on Housing options for veterans.
The Advice Quality Standard provides assurance that the service meets certain criteria that demonstrate a commitment to quality.
Find out more about the Advice Quality Standard.
