Bristol renters share

BRISTOL’S RENTERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES

People in the city are able to share their experiences of renting from a private landlord or letting agent in Bristol. A new survey asks renters to share information about their experience of renting in Bristol, and this information will be used to inform the work of the Living Rent Commission. The commission, which is made up of representatives from across the housing sector including renters, is exploring the issues facing people who rent and options to tackle the rent crisis in the city, ultimately looking at how Bristol can become a living rent city, without having a negative impact on the quality or availability of rental property. Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes, said: “In Bristol we face a housing crisis. We have more than 18,000 households on our waiting list for social housing, along with over 1,100 households in temporary accommodation. The cost of renting in this city is one key cause alongside the lack of security that renters have in the private rented sector. This is why we set up the Living Rent Commission. “The powers needed to ensure the rental market is accessible and works for all do not exist. The powers come from government, so we want to work with Westminster on policy development to reform the private rented sector, enabling Bristol to become a Living Rent City.

“I would ask everyone with experience of renting in Bristol in the last five years to consider taking part in the survey. Your answers will help us to understand what renters are experiencing in the private rented sector in the city and help inform the work of the commission.”

The Living Rent Commission was launched in July 2022 following a Renters’ Summit which took place in March.

The principle aims of the commission are to:

• Improve affordability of the private rented sector

• Understand the impact of regulation on rent prices including on housing quality and maintenance • Identifying the most effective rent controls Consider what other powers are required Consider how to empower tenants’ rights Co-chair of the commission, Professor Alex Marsh from the University of Bristol, said: “The commission is a great opportunity to bring people together to identify policy changes and innovative actions that will improve the city's private rented sector. To do this we need a clear picture of tenants' current experiences of private renting and the problems they're facing. So, we're keen that as many tenants as possible complete our survey and tell us about their situation. All the information is being collected anonymously.” The survey has been extended until Sunday 13 November. You can take part here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ BristolRentersSurvey/ The information provided will be analysed by researchers at the University of Bristol. This analysis will inform the work of the commission and its final report. The report will be published later this year.

Selling or renting? Do you need an EPC? Find out today.

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HISTORY OF AVONMOUTH DOCK

A port has existed in Bristol since Roman times, forming a crucial connection between England and the world. This proud shipping tradition is still up. THE ROMANS

Portus Abonae was the name of the Roman port at Sea Mills, up river from the modern business, where the Romans established a military town and port in the 1st Century AD. Archaeologists have identified that the Roman period of occupation ended during the 4th Century AD. Visitors can still see Roman remains today at Sea Mills and Kings Weston Roman Villa. THE HISTORY OF BRISTOL CITY DOCKS

Bristol City Docks are located six miles inland from where the River Avon flows into the Severn Estuary. The city developed where it was most convenient to cross the Avon and where ships could be carried to the harbour on the tidal current. In 1239, the first quays were built along the River Frome near where it joins the River Avon in what is now the centre of Bristol. By the 14th Century, Bristol was trading with countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Iceland. John Cabot set sail from Bristol in 1497 hoping to find the passage to Eastern Indonesia but discovered America/Newfoundlandinstead. A replica of his ship The Matthew was built in 1996 and in 1997 she followed the same course as John Cabot and sailed across to Newfoundland to recreate this historic voyage. The Matthew is often moored alongside the other iconic Bristol-built ship open to visitors today - ss Great Britain, the world’s first screw-propelled, ocean-going, iron ship. The Pill Hobblers are known to have existed in 1494. They still provide the linesmen who handle the lines for all shipping coming through the locks and onto the quaysides at Avonmouth and Royal Portbury Docks. Bristol was England’s second largest city by the 1760s but the docks were losing trade to Liverpool as they were so congested and Liverpool had more capacity. The crowded City Docks also had problems when fire spread amongst closely packed ships. Bristol trades included exports of woollen and other manufactured goods and imports of sugar cane, tobacco, rum and cocoa. The Severn Estuary has the third highest tidal range in the world (after the Bay of Fundy and Bay of Ungava, both in Canada) and even in the centre of Bristol the water level can change as much as 12m each tide.

The creation of Avonmouth Dock was motivated by the need to accommodate larger ships being built during the Industrial Revolution. These ships were often too big to navigate the winding six miles from the city to the mouth of the River Avon, and as a result, they would often run aground and block all shipping until the wreck could be cleared. To solve this problem, three entrepreneurial Bristol businessmen decided to build a new dock at Avonmouth - right at the mouth of the River Avon. The dock opened in 1877, but it initially failed to prosper because it was in competition with the City Docks, which were run by the Port of Bristol Authority (PBA). However, in 1884 the PBA took over Avonmouth Docks too, and under the same organization, the dock began to prosper. In 1908 Avonmouth Docks were extended and the Royal Edward Dock was opened by His Majesty King Edward VII.

Left photo of Avonmouth docks in 1968

Above is a image of the docks of Avonmouth docks opening in 1877.