Hobo has direct but poor advice (3,5)
I believe the answer is:
bum steer
'poor advice' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.
'hobo has direct' is the wordplay.
'hobo' becomes 'bum' (synonyms).
'has' says to put letters next to each other.
'direct' becomes 'steer' (steering is a kind of directing).
'bum'+'steer'='BUM STEER'
'but' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bum steer that I've seen before include "misleading information?" , "Dud" .)