diff --git a/app/models/form/lettings/questions/location_id_search.rb b/app/models/form/lettings/questions/location_id_search.rb
index 007468655..d45fa2da4 100644
--- a/app/models/form/lettings/questions/location_id_search.rb
+++ b/app/models/form/lettings/questions/location_id_search.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ class Form::Lettings::Questions::LocationIdSearch < ::Form::Question
     super
     @id = "location_id"
     @type = "select"
-    @hint = I18n.t("forms.#{form.start_date.year}.#{copy_key}.search_hint_text", default: "")
+    @hint = I18n.t("forms.#{form.start_date.year}.#{copy_key}.search_hint_text", default: "") if form.start_date.present?
     @answer_options = answer_options
     @inferred_answers = {
       "location.name": {