Welcome to our Private Sector What's New page which:
- highlights recent and forthcoming changes within the sector
- highlights services we provide
- promotes promoting good practice
This page will be updated to reflect future developments/changes. If you have any suggestions on how to improve this page please contact us by email at privatesector.housing@falkirk.gov.uk or by telephone on 01324 590797.
NEW Help for first-time buyers
A scheme to help first time buyers and certain priority groups access home ownership has re-opened. This scheme is administered by Link Housing Association on behalf of the Scottish Government. Information on eligible groups and how to apply is available at LIFT Open Market Shared Equity.
NEW Tenement Maintenance and Repairs Webinar: Tuesday 29 October 2024
Under One Roof are running a webinar on Tuesday 29 October 2024 at 3pm for flat owners, landlords and letting agents across the Falkirk area. The webinar will cover tenement maintenance, organising common repairs and includes a Q & A session. Booking information will be added to this page, closer to the event.
NEW Housing (Scotland) Bill
The Housing (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament by the Scottish Government on 26 March 2024. The Bill (as introduced) and the Explanatory Notes are available to view on the Scottish Parliament's website. The bill covers Rent Control, Evictions, Keeping Pets and making changes to let Property, Other Matters relating to Tenants, Homelessness Prevention and Other Housing Matters.
The Call for Views on the bill closed on Friday 24 May 2024: published responses can be accessed at Housing (Scotland) Bill Call for Views.
NEW Compulsory Owners Associations Consultation: closes 01 August 2024
The Scottish Law Commission recently released a discussion paper which sets out provisional proposals for the introduction of Compulsory Owners Associations. These proposals follow on from the recommendations of the Scottish Parliament's Tenement Maintenance Cross-Party Working Group.
Have your say on the Compulsory Owners Association proposals by responding to the online consultation. The consultation closes on Thursday 01 August 2024.
Background information to the consultation and details of planned webinars are available on the Scottish Law Commission's website. The recording of the webinar held on 09 May 2024 can be accessed on the Scottish Law Commission's YouTube channel.
NEW Rent Deposit Assistance Scheme – now live
If you are trying to secure a private rented property in the Falkirk area but are on a low income and unable to raise the deposit yourself, the Rent Deposit Assistance Scheme may be able to help.
Please see our Rent Deposit Assistance Scheme for further information.
Landlord and Letting Agent Forum: Wednesday 02 October 2024, 4pm - 7pm
Our in person and partially virtual, 2024 Landlord and Letting Agent Forum is taking place on Wednesday 02 October 2024, 4pm - 7pm. Please see our Landlord and Letting Agent Forum page for further information.
Repairing Standard: statutory guidance for private landlords
Updated Repairing Standard guidance was published by the Scottish Government in January 2024. The guidance applies to all tenancies required to meet the Repairing Standard. It outlines the new measures coming into effect on 01 March 20/24 (see below) and provides full details of how to comply with the Repairing Standard.
New measures: Safe Kitchens, Fixed Heating Systems, Safe Access to Common Parts, Consent to Work on Common Parts, Safe and Secure Common Doors, Residual Current Devices, Lead Pipes and Other Fuels.
Renting Matters in Falkirk (eNewsletter) December 2023
The fourth edition of our Landlords and Letting Agents Newsletter Renting Matters in Falkirk is now available.
Novoville Shared Repairs App
An app designed to help owners repair and maintain the common areas of their block is now available across Falkirk. For more information please see our Novoville Shared Repairs app.
Renting Privately
Information on Renting Privately is available at Renting Privately: What you should know.
Our Renting Privately: financial and practical support provides information on a wide range of available support.
Need a hand keeping warm?
Home Energy Scotland have a range of energy information available including how to reduce your energy bills and make your home warmer.
For more information visit the Home Energy Scotland website.
Under One Roof
Under One Roof are a charity who provide free and impartial, online and interactive information about common repairs and tenement maintenance: helping private flat owners understand their rights and responsibilities to manage their building. Please see our Under One Roof page for more information.
Private Sector Leasing Scheme
Our updated Private Sector Leasing Scheme is open and is accepting applications.
Scheme of Assistance
Our Scheme of Assistance outlines who can access assistance and what assistance is available to maintain, repair and adapt your home. We plan to consult with residents in early 2024 as part of our property conditions review – this does not impact on the assistance currently available.
Care and Repair
Care and Repair aims to give help and support homeowners and private tenants to adapt, maintain, repair or improve their homes. It is available to people of any age who have a disability or people aged 60 or over.
During 2022/23 Care and Repair completed 54 adaptations.
For information on available assistance to meet the new Fire Safety Standard, please see our Care and Repair page.
Factoring
The Code of Conduct for Property Factors sets out minimum standards of practice for registered property factors. A revised Code of Conduct, approved by the Scottish Parliament came into effect on 16 August 2021. Please see our Factoring page for further information.
Deposit Guarantee Scheme
Our Deposit Guarantee Scheme is currently closed to new applications and is under review. We will update our webpage once our review is complete.
New Fire Safety Standard
The Fire safety standard in Scotland has changed. Every home in Scotland must now meet the "Tolerable Standard", by having interlinked smoke and heat detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors will also be required if you have carbon-fuelled appliances in the property.
Information on the new standard is detailed in the Scottish Government Fire and smoke alarms: changes to the law factsheet.
All homeowners are responsible for ensuring that their property meets this requirement.
Housing to 2040
In March 2021, the Scottish Government published its first long-term national housing strategy: Housing to 2040. This strategy sets out a vision for housing in Scotland and a route map to get there.
Market Evidence: collection of rental information
Rent Service Scotland collects rental information from a wide variety of sources contributing to a data set which is used to produce statistics for the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The information is also used to set levels of Local Housing Allowance, Universal Credit, valuations for Housing Benefit, registered rents, rent adjudications and Rent Pressure Zones.
Rent Service Scotland
If you can share rental information, please download the Market Evidence Form attached and return to us. The information will be held securely in the Rent Service Scotland database and held in line with the current retention policies. Contact details are:
Email: rss.dundee@gov.scot
Rent Service Scotland
2nd Floor Endeavour House
1 Greenmarket
Dundee
DD1 4QB
Telephone: 0300 244 7000 (Answer machine only)
Contact us
Private Sector Team
The Forum
Callendar Business Park
Falkirk
FK1 1XR
Tel: 01324 590797
Email: privatesector.housing@falkirk.gov.uk