Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply for properties through Arun Homefinder

What is deemed as a local connection to the Arun District 

How do I apply to join the Housing Register 

I have forgotten my login reference 

I have forgotten my password 

How to upload your supporting documents 

How do I place a bid for a property 

Can you refuse to accept me onto the Arun Housing Register 

How are applications prioritised 

What do I do if my circumstances change 

Do I need to renew my application each year 

What information will the property adverts contain 

I am vulnerable and need help with bidding 

How do I know if I have been accepted onto the Housing Register 

Do I have to give notice to my current landlord 

What is an Affordable Rented property 

Are carpets and appliances provided 

How do I request a review of a decision 

I disagree with my review decision

Will I know how many other people are interested in the same property 

How will I view the property

What is a community land trust (CLT) 

How will I know what happened to a property 

I am a current tenant and want to move 

What is a local connection for a rural connection 

Will I have to pay a deposit and RIA 

Can I take my pets with me 

I am threatened with homelessness 

What other options are there for housing 

I am showing as position one will I receive an offer of the property 

What sort of tenancy will I be offered 

How often are properties advertised 

How long will properties be advertised for 

Can a landlord refuse to let a property to me 

I do not like a property I have been offered; can I refuse it?   

What documents do I need to provide 

What happens if I do not provide the required documents 

What would be proof of a housing need 

I have served in the Armed Forces what help can I get 

 

Who can apply for properties through Arun Homefinder

You must have been accepted onto the Arun District Council Housing Register to be able to apply for rented properties through Arun Homefinder. To be accepted, applicants must

  • Be aged 16 years or over, and 

  • Be eligible as prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary of State, and 

  • Have an identified housing need and local connection, as defined in the housing allocations policy 

 What is deemed as a local connection to the Arun District  

A local connection to the Arun District is defined as: 

  • You and/or your partner are currently living in the Arun district and have lived in the Arun district permanently for at least 3 years immediately prior to the application date; or are currently living in the Arun district and have lived permanently in the Arun District for 5 years out of the last 10 years. 

  • You and/or your partner have worked on a full or part time basis (16 hours per week) in the Arun District for the past 2 years and remains in employment in the Arun District.   

  • You and/or your partner needs to be in the Arun District to give or receive regular daily support from or for a close relative (parents, adult children, brother and/or sister). This support must be required on an ongoing long-term basis and cannot be provided by other family members or available support agencies. The family member must be permanently resident in the Arun District and have lived here permanently for at least 10 years immediately prior to the application date. 

  • You and/or your partner have been accepted as being owed the main homeless duty. The Homelessness main duty is defined as the main duty under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996 (as amended). 

  • You are a young person who is owed a ‘leaving care’ duty by West Sussex County Council (WSCC) under section 23C of the Children Act 1989.  

The Council will not disqualify the following applicants on the grounds that they do not have a local connection with the local authority: 

  • Members and former members of the Armed Forces where the application is made within five years of discharge 

  • Bereaved (or divorced or separated) spouses and civil partners of members of the Armed Forces leaving services family accommodation following the death of (or divorce or separation from) their spouse or partner 

  • Serving or former members of the Reserve Forces who need to move because of serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained because of their service 

  • People who have experienced domestic abuse as defined by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 and have established accommodation in refuge or other temporary accommodation located in the local authority area and it is safe to remain in the Arun District.  

  • People over 60 who qualify for sheltered accommodation only 

How do I apply to join the Housing Register 

You will need to register your household and complete an application form. The help pagewill tell you how to complete an application. 

 I have forgotten my login reference 

The Help pagewill tell you how to retrieve your login reference.   

I have forgotten my password 

The Help pagewill tell you how to reset your password.    

How to upload your supporting documents 

The Help page will tell you how to upload your supporting documents. 

 How do I place a bid for a property 

The help page will further explain how to place a bid of interest.  

Can you refuse to accept me onto the Arun Housing Register 

There are some people who are not eligible to be included on the Housing Register. These are:  

  • Certain people who are subject to Immigration Control under the 1996 Asylum and Immigration Act. 

  • Certain people from abroad who are not subject to immigration control but who are not habitually resident in the UK, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. 

  • Certain people guilty of unacceptable behaviour this includes previous breaches of tenancy and certain criminal convictions. 

  • Persons with rent arrears or housing related debts to Arun District Council, other local authorities or registered providers.  

  • Persons who own a home in the UK or abroad, with some limited exceptions.  

  • Persons with sufficient income and/or savings to secure alternative housing. 

For more information on these exclusions please see the housing allocations policy 

How are applications prioritised 

All housing applications are assessed according to housing need and are placed in one of four bands.  Priority within the band is decided by the date the application was awarded that band with the oldest registration date having greatest priority. 

What do I do if my circumstances change 

It is very important that you tell us of any changes in your circumstances.  Please login and update your application. We will tell you if this results in your application moving to a different band. If you move up a band, your priority date will be the date you move into that band. If you move down a band, your priority date will remain the same.   

In some circumstances you may no longer qualify to remain on the Housing Register, and your application will be cancelled.  We will write to you to tell you if your application has been cancelled and the reasons why. If you are not happy with this decision you can request a review. 

Do I need to renew my application each year 

Yes, once a year, normally on the anniversary of your application.   

What if someone in my household has a health or welfare condition 

If someone in your household has a health or welfare condition you will be asked to provide details, which may then be considered in line with the housing allocations policy. Alternative housing options may be offered in the first instance to assist you in resolving any issues you may be experiencing. 

What information will the property adverts contain 

The adverts will tell you the landlord, location, size, rent and other features of the property. Where available, a photograph of the property or a similar property type will be provided and you will be able to access information about the local area and facilities. 

The advert will also tell you if there are any special requirements that the applicant must meet, such as age requirements, local lettings plans or rural connections, whether the landlord allows pets and any restrictions on the number of children allowed to live in the property.  

I am vulnerable and need help with bidding 

The Council is aware that some vulnerable applicants may need assistance to complete the bidding process. The Council seeks to address this issue in the following ways: 

  • By providing regular training and awareness events for agencies who support vulnerable people to help them guide their clients through the process of registration and bidding. 

  • By giving direct advice and assistance to applicants, support staff and agencies during office hours either in person or by phone and by providing information on the Council’s website. 

  • By providing information in a variety of formats and languages on request. 

Where necessary bids can be made by the Council staff on behalf of applicants, proxy bidding by support staff, friends or family of a vulnerable person is also possible on request. 

How do I know if I have been accepted onto the Housing Register 

You will receive an email or letter confirming that you have been accepted onto the Arun Housing Register. This will tell you the band you have been placed, your priority date and the size of property you are eligible for. 

Do I have to give notice to my current landlord 

You will need to check with your landlord how much notice you would have to give if you are offered another property.  Usually, you will have to give 4 weeks. 

What is an Affordable Rented property 

Affordable rented properties will be made available to tenants at up to a maximum of 80% of market rent and will be allocated in the same way as social housing is at present. 

Are carpets and appliances provided 

Unless otherwise stated in the advert, you will normally have to provide your own carpets and appliances. Properties are provided unfurnished. 

How do I request a review of a decision 

In certain circumstances you may request a review of the council decision concerning your housing application. You must request a review within 21 days of notification of a decision, this must be made in writing via either letter or email. A housing options team leader will provide you a written response within 2 weeks. You would be advised if this is going to be delayed for any reason.  

I disagree with my review decision.  

If you disagree with your review decision at the first stage, you can request a review of this decision. This request will need to be made in writing via email or letter. A second stage review is completed by the housing options manager, and you would be advised of the outcome within 8 weeks. Further information on reviews can be found in the housing allocations policy. 

How do you decide who is offered a property 

Once the closing date for bids has passed a shortlist of interested applicants is received. The shortlist is in order of the highest bands and earliest priority date. Where there are additional property criteria the shortlist will highlight these applications who meet this. The applicant at the top of the list and who meets all the advert and preference criteria and who is therefore at the top of the shortlist will normally be offered the property.  

Will I know how many other people are interested in the same property 

Yes, when you bid for a property you will be told where you are in the queue. This is likely to change frequently due to other people bidding for the same property. Using this information, you may decide to withdraw your bid for one property and bid for a different property for which you are higher placed in the queue. You can do this at any time before the advert closing date. 

How will I view the property. 

If you are nominated for a property further communication will come directly from the landlord. You will be invited to view the property. It is possible that viewing and signing up will take place at the same time. 

What is a community land trust (CLT)  

Community Land Trusts (CLTs) are set up and run by ordinary people, sometimes in conjunction with registered providers, to develop and manage homes as well as other assets. The CLT’s goal is to provide affordable homes for people connected with their area. Each CLT will have their own criteria. There are properties available for rent as well as shared ownership. For more information on current CLT's, please see our website.

All adverts can be viewed under the properties and recent lets search. You will need to log in to see a personalised search and to place a bid of interest. 

 How will I know what happened to a property 

You can view previous properties under properties and recent lets search. 

 I am a current tenant and want to move 

If you have a housing need you can apply for the housing register, alternatively you could seek a swap/mutual exchange.   If you are an Arun Council tenant more information can be found on your website. If you are a tenant of a registered provider, please contact them directly. 

What is a local connection for a rural connection  

 Properties will sometimes be advertised with preference to those with a local connection to the parish (as defined by the Rural Gazetteer 2002), the purpose of this is to sustain rural communities.  

The Parish local connection criteria are one of the following: 

  •   Applicants who have lived in the parish for at least 2 years 
  • Applicants who have previously lived in the parish for 3 years out of the last 5 

  • Applicants with  close  relatives  generally  defined  as  parents,  adult  children  and siblings who have lived continuously in the parish for 5 years. 

  • People who have permanent full time employment or an offer of permanent employment which provides an important service to the local community and who need to live locally to carry out their duties. 

Where there are no bids from applicants with a local connection to the rural parish, other 

applicants may be considered for the property. 

Will I have to pay a deposit and RIA 

When you are preparing to move to a Council or registered provider tenancy, you will likely have to pay rent in advance. The amount required will usually be listed in the advert but will be up to the equivalent of 1 months’ rent. It is unlikely you will be required to pay a deposit.  

Can I take my pets with me 

Where provided, the advert for each property will state whether pets may be accepted with permission. Each landlord may have different criteria so whether permission is granted is down to their policy on pets.  

I am threatened with homelessness 

If you are threatened with homelessness, it is important that you contact the housing options team without delay. Please call 01903 737552. Further advice can be found on our website

What other options are there for housing 

The wait to secure accommodation via the housing register can be long. Alternatives can be sought in the private rented sector. To do this you could contact local lettings agents, check property listing websites and the property pages of the local paper. If you need further advice, please visit our website.

I am showing as position one will I receive an offer of the property 

Unfortunately, showing as position one will not guarantee you will receive an offer for a property. This position can change throughout the property advert time. Additionally, it may sometimes be required to bypass applicants if the property may not be suitable for them or if there are additional property criteria.  

 What sort of tenancy will I be offered 

 The type of tenancy offered will depend on the landlord. Once you have been offered a property the landlord will advise you of what type this will be.  

How often are properties advertised 

Properties can be added each weekday and will show as a live advert for a minimum of 7 days.  

How long will properties be advertised for 

Property adverts will be live for a minimum of 7 days 

Can a landlord refuse to let a property to me 

Yes, a landlord can refuse an allocation made to you, they will usually provide a reason for this in line with their individual policies.  

I do not like a property I have been offered; can I refuse it?   

Only under certain circumstances can you reasonably refuse an offer of accommodation. Refusal of accommodation may lead to the banding being reviewed or removal from the housing register. Please see the housing allocations policy for more information.  

What documents do I need to provide 

You will be asked to provide verification documents to show that you are eligible for the housing register and to prove your local connection and housing need.  

This can include, but is not limited to:  

  • Proof of identity for all persons in your household (eg. birth certificate, passport, driving licence or similar) and proof of pregnancy (if applicable) 

  • Proof of Right to Reside in the UK 

  • Proof of local connection, this will include current address (eg.tenancy agreement, utility bill, bank statement etc.) and evidence of meeting the local connection criteria.  

  • Proof of savings 

  • Proof of Income ( eg Wage slips, proof of benefits, proof of pensions) 

  • Proof of housing need (e.g supporting medical documentation or move on from supported accommodation letter) 

  • Evidence of Armed Forces Service (if applicable) 

You may be requested to provide further documentation depending on your individual circumstances. Please log in to upload your documents.  

What happens if I do not provide the required documents 

If you do not provide the required documents your application may be cancelled.  

 

What would be proof of a housing need 

All applications are assessed in line with the housing allocations policy as such we will need evidence of an identified housing need. Each case could require different documentation, if this is the case you will be advised by a member of the team what could potentially be outstanding. 

 

I have served in the Armed Forces what help can I get 

If you qualify for the housing register you may also be eligible for additional priority for having served in the Armed Forces. We will need to see evidence of your service.  

More information on support from service personnel can be found on our website