diff --git a/app/controllers/start_controller.rb b/app/controllers/start_controller.rb
index 5bd49df3f..edbdce77e 100644
--- a/app/controllers/start_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/start_controller.rb
@@ -9,4 +9,8 @@ class StartController < ApplicationController
       render "home/index"
     end
   end
+
+  def error
+    render json: { status: 503, error: "Service unavailable" }, status: :service_unavailable
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/services/address_client.rb b/app/services/address_client.rb
index 81c8da7ed..4e95129c8 100644
--- a/app/services/address_client.rb
+++ b/app/services/address_client.rb
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ private
   end
 
   def response
-    @response ||= http_client.request_get(endpoint_uri)
+    # @response ||= http_client.request_get(endpoint_uri)
+    @response ||= http_client.request_get("localhost:3000/error")
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/services/uprn_client.rb b/app/services/uprn_client.rb
index 97dc4753f..01986acc9 100644
--- a/app/services/uprn_client.rb
+++ b/app/services/uprn_client.rb
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ private
   end
 
   def response
-    @response ||= http_client.request_get(endpoint_uri)
+    @response ||= http_client.request_get("localhost:3000/error")
+    # @response ||= http_client.request_get(endpoint_uri)
   end
 end
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index db4b2a8a2..0e92c80fc 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ Rails.application.routes.draw do
   root to: "start#index"
   get "/guidance", to: "start#guidance"
 
+  get "/error", to: "start#error"
   get "/logs", to: redirect("lettings-logs")
   get "/accessibility-statement", to: "content#accessibility_statement"
   get "/privacy-notice", to: "content#privacy_notice"