How can we help?

Frequently Asked Questions

Click the black 'Register' button at the top right of the screen, then click on 'Register Now' button. It will take you to our online pre-assessment and housing application form. If you are eligible to apply, you must upload your supporting documents we ask for so that your application can be assessed. Your supporting documents will be used to assess your band and band reason. You will not be able to bid on properties until your application and supporting documents have been assessed.

The properties we advertise are mainly councils and housing associations. By law, we must:

  • check that you are eligible to apply for housing
  • make sure we allocate tenancies fairly.

By registering, we have the information we need to make sure that those who have the greatest need are given priority for housing.

Once you have submitted your application, it can take approximately 16 weeks for it to be assessed. You may be asked for additional supporting documents before a decision can be made on your eligibility to the register. When a decision has been made, you will be sent an email or letter which will explain your banding, bedroom need, and priority date. We will contact you if we need more information. Only contact us if you have not heard from us within 16 weeks.
You can start bidding on properties when your application has been assessed, at which point you will receive the decision letter which will confirm your band and band reason. You will be able to log in to your Sussex Homemove account and start bidding on properties. In your account, you can check progress of your application by looking at the ‘status’. When status shows as ‘live’ you can start bidding. If you did not register with an email address, auto bids will be made on your behalf.
If your medical condition is being made worse by your current accommodation, upload to your application your medical documents. They must confirm how your health is being affected by your housing. We will contact you if we need more information.
You should read the Allocations Policy for the Council you are applying to. It will tell you what we consider when we assess your banding. If you still think your band is wrong, then contact your Sussex Homemove team to discuss your application further.

Allocation policies

You must tell us if your circumstances have changed, such as:

  • change of address
  • add or remove household member
  • changes to income including new/left employment.

You will only be able to do this when your Sussex Homemove account shows status as 'Live':

  • log into your account
  • click on the 'Have your circumstances changed?' button
  • complete a new application form, by updating any information that has changed
  • ‘submit’ the application form
  • upload your supporting documents: birth certificate, tenancy agreement, wage slips, bank statement, benefit award letters. These must show the change in circumstances that you gave on your application form.

You will not be able to bid on properties until your application has been re-assessed.

If you have not ‘signed in’ before, you must ‘create an account’. To do this:

  • click on ‘Sign in’ button (top of screen)
  • click on ‘Already Registered without a password’ button
  • add your reference number and date of birth
  • click on ‘Continue’ button. An email will then be sent to your email address and will contain a link to set your password
  • you can now ‘login to your account’ and place bids.

To ‘Login to your account’ and bid on a property:

  • click on ‘Sign in’ button (top of screen)
  • add Partner
  • add your email address that you set when you created your account above
  • add your password
  • click on the ‘Login’ button
  • click on ‘Place a bid’ to view the properties that you are eligible to bid on
  • click on the advert of any property that you want to bid on. Check the details on the advert and only place a bid if it were a property that you would accept if ‘offered’ the property
  • click on the ‘Place Bid’ button.
Once the bidding closes, staff will start to process the shortlist. This is normally done within a few days. You will be able to see the outcome of your bids you have placed in your Sussex Homemove account and whether you were successful or not. The housing association/Council will contact you directly to arrange a viewing of the property if your bid has been successful. Please note that there can sometimes be delays in being contacted.

To be considered for a property you must:

  • log into your Sussex Homemove account
  • place a bid on it.

If you cannot see the property that you want to be considered to for, it may be due to:

  • you are not eligible to bid on it
  • it has not yet been advertised by the housing association.

We cannot consider specific requests for specific properties.

That depends upon the type of property you need and where you would like to live. See the Help Guide ’Feedback’ section opposite for more information on previous bids. Properties in East Sussex are in short supply. Many applicants will face an indefinite wait. For:

Please note that there is a long wait for social housing in Hastings and Rother so you may want to consider other alternative housing such as private rented sector.

If you do not have an email address you can create one using one of the following links: You can contact your Local Authority using the details on the Contact Page to discuss this further. Please be aware that to be able to bid on properties, you will need an email address. The housing association may use your email address to arrange viewings of their properties.
You will only be able to login to your account using the email address that is registered to the account. If your email address has changed, please contact the council that you registered your application with. You will then be able to reset your own password.