Council launches new online housing register and advice system

The new 'Chichester HomeMove' system, which has been introduced as part of service improvements and in direct response to customer feedback, will also mean that residents on the housing register will be able to 'bid' for available properties that meet their needs much more frequently. Housing associations — known as Registered Providers — will be able to add vacant homes to the portal as soon as they become available, which will mean that residents can bid on a daily basis for a home that is suitable for their needs, and for which they are eligible.

In addition, the improvements will make it quicker and simpler for people who need to contact the council to seek housing advice or to access support if they are homeless or are facing homelessness.

Once the system is live, residents will be able to access the designated Chichester HomeMove portal by visiting the Housing section of our website.

"The new system offers a more personalised approach, making it easier for our customers to speak to our team about a new or existing application for our housing services," says Councillor Oona Hickson, Cabinet Member for Housing, Revenues and Benefits at Chichester District Council. "I'd like to thank everyone for their patience while we have been making these improvements. We've listened to our customers, and we believe that this new system will directly address feedback that we have received.

"Over the past few weeks, our team have been busy contacting residents who have an existing housing register application to advise them on how to re-register to the new system. Not only will Chichester HomeMove make the process of applying for the housing register simpler, it will also improve the way in which applicants can express their interest (or 'bid') on suitable properties, as Registered Providers will be able to advertise vacant homes as soon as they become available.

"The new system will help us keep customer's details and requirements up to date, which in turn will help ensure that customers find a suitable property that meets their needs. It will also mean that we can continue to ensure that households with the greatest housing need are prioritised.

"Our team have also been contacting residents with an existing homeless application and advising them on how to create an online account so that we can continue to provide advice and support through the new system." 

More information about the new system, along with a range of other housing advice — including help finding affordable housing to buy or rent, and details about grants and discounts to help with housing costs — can be found on Housing section of our website. Alternatively, if people are unable to access online support, they can contact the team by phone on 01243 534734.

The council also has a designated Supporting You team, who work with services across the council to help people access a range of assistance, including help with housing, financial help to pay bills, along with health and wellbeing support. People can find out more on our Supporting You team web page.

Date of release: 5 June 2025

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