www.westsussexconnecttosupport.org

 

West Sussex Connect to Support connects you to care and support in West Sussex.

 

Housing

 

www.arun.gov.uk/housing -  this website had lots of information / help

 

Homelessness

 

The Arun District Housing Options team aim to give help and advice to people in two different situations: those who are homeless and those who are looking for a long term property. Finding long term accommodation can be a lengthy process and there is currently a long waiting list for council housing.

 

They will try to help prevent you from becoming homeless through appropriate, personalised housing advice in order to meet your needs and circumstances such as:

 

·       Being served notice

·       Trying to find a landlord who will accept Housing Benefit or a Deposit Bond

·       Being asked to leave by family or friends

·       Domestic violence and abuse

·       Debt, including rent arrears

·       Relationship breakdown

·       Coming out of hospital or prison.

 

They  will ask you to complete a Customer Statement and Declaration. They will also require you to bring in the original versions of the relevant documents from the Document List and for ID for all members of the household. 

 

They will photocopy your documents straight away and return them to you. Based on your circumstances you may be offered an appointment to see a Housing Options Officer. If you need somewhere to stay immediately, they may provide emergency accommodation, which could be emergency Bed & Breakfast accommodation, and may be outside the Arun district.

 

They will write to you once we have reached a decision about your homelessness. If you disagree with our decision, you can ask the Council to review it, but you must do this within 21 days of receiving the decision. If you disagree with the review, you can appeal to the County Court on a point of law, again within 21 days of the review.

 

 

Contact the Housing Advice team on 01903 737710

to make an appointment 

to discuss your specific circumstances.

 

 

Relationship Breakdown

 

This page is intended to give you advice about housing if you have split up, or are thinking about splitting up with your partner and can only give you a brief summary of your rights. What rights you have will depend on the nature of your relationship with your partner and the circumstances in which you split up.  Housing rights are normally gained by having an interest in a property. An interest can be gained through ownership or a tenancy. Contact the Arun District Housing Options team for personal advice relating to your own specific circumstances. 

 

If you want to seek further advice on your rights you can see a solicitor of your choice or contact the local Citizens Advice Bureau. Alternatively The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has developed the Sorting out Separation website in partnership with a range of voluntary and community sector organisations. Sorting out Separation provides reliable information and support to help separating and separated couples and families, deal with relationship breakdown. There is information on 7 different topics which cover all aspects surrounding the emotional and financial changes a separation can bring. The topics include tools and links to trusted specialist organisations that offer more tailored support if required.

 

Joint Owners & Tenants

 

If you jointly own a property or rent a property with your partner, you both have an equal right to live in the property by virtue of your interest. You are both jointly liable to meet the financial obligations on the property such as paying the mortgage or rent and you both have the right to live there.

 

As such, if you want to leave your partner and you jointly own or rent a property, it is unlikely that we will accept you as homeless because you have a legal interest in the property. You can apply to the court to have the interest in the property transferred to you so that you become the sole owner or tenant of the property. 

 

You will need to see a solicitor about this matter. Sometimes, a tenancy agreement will contain a clause stating that a tenancy cannot be transferred to another party without the consent of the landlord. Furthermore, one joint tenant can give notice to end the tenancy without the consent of the other.  This notice will end the tenancy.  If this happens, the remaining tenant may find that they become homeless.

 

Domestic Violence

 

If you have experienced violence or threats of violence in your relationship, you should seek help as a matter of urgency. If you jointly own or rent a property and you are at risk of violence, we may accept that you are homeless. We will have to assess if we owe you a duty with accommodation and our page on Homelessness advice and support can give you more information about the criteria that need to be met for us to owe you a duty with accommodation.  

 

 

Married Couples & Civil Partners

 

If you and your spouse are married or in a civil partnership, it does not matter who actually owns or rents the property. If your partner is the sole owner or tenant of the property, the law recognises that you have an equal right to live there as you are married or in a civil partnership. You will have this right until death or the marriage/partnership is dissolved. As such, if your husband/wife/civil partner asks you to leave because they own or rent the property, you are under no obligation to do so. Again, it is unlikely we will accept you as homeless unless you are at risk of violence.

You can seek an order from the court to have the ownership or tenancy of the property transferred to you. If your partner leaves and you remain in the property, you have the right to pay the mortgage or rent on their behalf. If you are on a low income or benefits, you can claim help with housing costs to help you meet the financial obligations on the property. If you want to seek an order from the court to have the property rights transferred to you, you will need to consult a solicitor.

 

Cohabiting Couples

 

If you are not married to your partner, what rights you have to the property will depend on what interest you have in the property. If you are a joint owner or tenant, you both have the right to remain in the property, even if your relationship has broken down.

 

However, if you are not married and your partner is the sole owner or tenant, you do not have the same rights as someone who is married. If you have a child from the relationship, you can ask the court to transfer the interest of the property to you in the interests of the child, but if you are asked to leave, you do not have any automatic right to remain because you do not have a legal interest in the property.

 

Wherever possible as change in your housing situation should be planned.  

 

 

Contact the Housing Advice team on 01903 737710

to make an appointment

to discuss your specific circumstances.