Homespot is Falkirk Council's choice-based way of letting homes. This means that properties available to let will be advertised on Homespot and you can decide which properties you would like to be considered for. We advertise vacant properties every week as they become available.

If you see a property that you like you can 'bid’ for it. A bid lets us know you are interested in a particular property and would like to be considered for it. It does not mean you will have to part with any money. You must register with Homespot to be able to bid for properties.

If you wish to apply for a council property, the quickest and easiest way to apply is through Housing Online.

We use the information you provide to decide whether you are a Home Seeker, Home Mover or Home Starter.

You will also be awarded one of four Bands. These show the level of priority awarded for housing, based on your housing need. Further information on banding is shown in the section below.

You may be placed in Band 4 when you first register until we have carried out a full assessment of your housing need. If an assessment is needed this should be done within 28 days of registration.

Within each Band, applications are placed in date order.

If your circumstances change at any time, you must tell us about this as soon as possible. It may change your priority Band or the category you are in. This would affect the properties you can apply for.

You are a Home Seeker if you are considered homeless in terms of homeless legislation. This is decided by a homeless assessment by our Housing Needs Team.

You are a Home Mover if you are already a tenant of Falkirk Council, a Housing Association or a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) living in the Falkirk Council area and looking to move home.

All other applicants are Home Starters. This includes applicants that have been assessed as threatened with homelessness within the next 2 months.

We aim to let 45% of our vacant properties to Home Seekers, 27.5% to Home Movers and 27.5% to Home Starters.

If you feel you need help and support to register for or bid for properties using Homespot, our staff can help you. Our staff will help you to use Homespot until you get familiar with bidding for properties. We can continue to help you if you have problems using Homespot.

You can get help from our staff by phoning telephoning 01324 503200, or emailing allocations.team@falkirk.gov.uk

You will need to be able to access the internet to use Homespot. If you don't have internet at home, Falkirk Council libraries offer access to computers and the internet. You can visit your nearest library to book a slot to use a computer.

There are four levels of priority for housing which we refer to as Bands. The highest level is Band One, and the lowest level is Band Four. You will be placed in one of these Bands depending on your level of housing need. The Bands are explained below.

Band 1

Priority is awarded to the following applicants who have an urgent need to move:

• who are found to be unintentionally homeless following a homeless assessment
• that are assessed to be threatened with homelessness within the next two months following a homeless assessment
• who have been "looked after and accommodated" by Falkirk Council and are leaving their care placement
• who are leaving the Armed Forces and their right to occupy service accommodation is coming to an end and a certificate of Cessation of Entitlement to occupy Service Living Accommodation has been issued
• where a Public Protection case conference has made recommendations regarding accommodation
• who are unable to be discharged safely from hospital because their home is no longer suitable for them
• whose home is causing significant problems due to a physical medical condition or disability
• whose home is causing significant problems due to a mental health condition or disability
• who are living in an overcrowded property where 2 or more additional bedrooms are required to meet their needs
• who are living in a one-bedroom property and have 2 children under the age of 8 years sharing a bedroom with them
• who have 2 teenage children of different genders sharing a bedroom
• who are Falkirk Council tenants or RSL tenants living in the Council's area that are living in a property which is too big for their needs by 2 or more bedrooms
• living in a property which is assessed as falling below tolerable standards
• who need to be re-housed because of regeneration or redevelopment within the Falkirk Council area
• who are currently both social housing tenants within the Falkirk Council area who wish to move so that they can live as a family unit and require a larger property to prevent overcrowding
• with exceptional housing needs as detailed previously

Band 2

Priority is awarded to the following applicants:

• who are living in a property which does not have a secure tenure or lease, this does not include applicants that live care of relatives, friends or lodgers
• who are overcrowded where one additional bedroom is required to meet their needs
• living in bed-sit accommodation
• with social housing need such as:
• the applicant needs to move to give or receive care and support
• the applicant's accommodation is unsuitable due to severe harassment (at request of Conflict Resolution Service only)

Band 3

Priority is awarded to the following applicants:

• with children under 10 years living in tenement flats with no access to shared or individual gardens
• joint tenants/owners who have had a relationship breakdown
• who are living in accommodation where their independence is limited due to a physical medical condition or disability
• who wish to move to the Falkirk Council area due to a local connection e.g employment
• living in a private sector tenancy
• owners living in the Falkirk Council area that are downsizing by two or more bedrooms
• living in the private sector with a short-assured tenancy agreement
• currently sharing amenities with another household with whom they are not applying to be housed

Band 4

Priority is awarded where there is no housing need.

You will be awarded only one level of priority. If you have more than one housing need, you will be awarded priority for your highest ranked need. 

Secondary housing needs are only taken into account when they relate to a medical condition or disability and following a Functional Needs Assessment (see Functional Needs Assessment booklet). On these occasions an indicator (F) is added to the banding e.g. an applicant may have a Band one priority for overcrowding and a medical recommendation for ground floor housing with a shower so their priority award will become Band 1(F) or B1F. This (F) indicator will allow you to bid for properties advertised as "Adapted".

The aim of choice based lettings is to give you more choice over where you want to live and the type of house you want to live in.

We have a range of different types of houses that you can apply for. When we advertise a property we will say which applicant group can bid for it.

You can only bid for properties that are advertised for the applicant group that you are in or properties that have been advertised for All Groups.

If you have been awarded Band 1F or Band 3F priority because your home is unsuitable for you due to a medical condition or disability this is likely to include a recommendation of the type of property that will be suitable for you.  We will not consider you for any houses that do not match this recommendation, even if you bid for them.  For example, if the recommendation is for ground floor housing, you would not be successful if you bid for a house with internal stairs.

If you feel that your health has improved and the recommendation is no longer relevant, you should tell us and we will review the priority and any recommendation.  This may involve an Occupational Therapist or Housing Visitor visiting you at home.  A review may not remove the restrictions on the type of house you can be offered.

Properties that have been adapted will be advertised as "Adapted" properties and all applicants with a medical recommendation will be able to bid for these properties irrespective of whether they are a Home Seeker, Home Mover or Home Starter (see below for further information on this).

We want to make the best use of our housing stock and to do this we have Household Size Criteria as follows.

• Couples are expected to share a room. Couples and single applicants will be considered for properties with 1 or 2 bedrooms.
• Each household member over 8 years of age can have their own bedroom.  Priority for overcrowding will not be awarded where 2 children under 8 years of age of either sex share a room which is larger than 110 square feet (10 square metres).
• If you have 2 children of the same sex aged 8 years or over they can share a bedroom if you wish.
• If you wish to move to a property the same size as the one you live in just now, we will not consider any overcrowding priority you may have.
• Due to the lack of larger properties with three or four bedrooms, you can be considered for a property that is smaller than you need if it will still reduce overcrowding. 

We recognise that some households may need a home that is bigger than the household size criteria allows; for example, an additional room may be needed because of a medical condition. Any professional recommendation for additional rooms will be taken into account in deciding what property size you qualify for.

Based on the household size criteria above, you will only be able to bid for properties that meet the needs of your household. 

In order to meet our target of allocating 45% of available properties to Home Seekers, 27.5% to Home Movers and the remaining 27.5% to Home Starters we have an automatic sequencing process for vacant properties.  Sequencing helps us to ensure that available properties are distributed fairly for all groups. There will be more properties available for Seekers, as they have a higher target for advertising properties.

This process takes into account the allocation area the property is in, the size of the property, the property type and the date the property became void.

There are ten Allocation Areas:

• Bo'ness
• Bonnybridge/Banknock
• Braes
• Dawson
• Denny
• Falkirk Central
• Falkirk East
• Falkirk West
• Grangemouth
• Larbert/Stenhousemuir  

Within each Allocation Area, properties are grouped into the following sizes:

• bedsit - 2 bedrooms
• 3 bedrooms
• 4 bedrooms or more

Within each Allocation Area and property size properties are grouped into the following types:

• House/Bungalow
• Four-in-a Block
• Flat/Maisonettes/Multi Storey Flat

Properties are then sorted by the date they became empty and sequenced
separately for Home Seekers, Starters and Movers.

This is a rolling process which means that wherever we end one sequencing cycle the next one starts. 

Adapted properties

When we advertise adapted properties, the advert will say that the property is adapted and what facility or adaptation is in the property e.g. level access shower, external ramp or fully adapted or accessible kitchen.

You may wish to consider adaptations to your current home.

Some properties that Falkirk Council lets may be subject to local lettings initiatives. The main aim of local lettings initiatives is to build strong and sustainable communities.

This means we may look at, for example the households that already live in a block of flats and think about the household we allocate to move into the block of flats to ensure that the community there will be sustainable.

A local lettings plan or initiative provides an open and transparent framework where we will set out any variation we will make to the Housing Allocation Policy. We will only do this when needed to take account of and address any local needs and circumstances.

Existing Local Lettings Initiatives

Block profiling:

• we may consider the profile of other households living within a block of flats when we allocate vacant properties to ensure sustainable communities.

High Flats:

• as a result of public consultations, the Council will now only allocate properties within the High Flats (multi-storey properties) to applicants who are aged 50 years or older.

Low Demand Properties:

• some property types are not seen as popular and can take more time to let e.g., larger tenement flats with 3 bedrooms or properties that are in more rural or outlying areas. If no bids are received for a property the first time it is advertised on Homespot, we will re-advertise the property, making it available for All Groups.

New Build Council Properties:

• Within the new build programme, ground floor properties are designed to barrier-free standards and are suitable for wheelchair users. These properties will be advertised as "Adapted" and preference will be given to applicants who need the facilities provided.

We will let most of our houses through Homespot however, there are some exceptions and these are explained below.

• Housing with Care level 1 and 2 i.e. housing for older people who are physically frail and need care and support services at home. These properties will be matched to applicants on the housing register following a full assessment of their needs.
• If we need to use a property for temporary accommodation because of an emergency situation or to discharge our statutory duty in terms of homeless legislation.
• If a property would meet the needs of an applicant with particular needs e.g. someone who cannot leave hospital because their own home is unsuitable then we may re-house another applicant to allow their property to be let to the applicant with needs. 

Properties are advertised every week. The cycle starts at 12.00 noon on a Wednesday and closes at 12.00 noon on the Wednesday 7 days later.  All adverts clearly state the closing date for bids to be made. Bids will not be accepted after the list has closed.

We aim to make sure that adverts have enough information to help you make an informed decision about whether or not the property is right for you.

An advert will include the following information:

• The address of property
• The property type, for example, house mid terraced, flat or multi-storey flat
• The number of bedrooms
• The heating type
• The rent per fortnight
• Which applicant group will be given preference.
• Any additional qualifying criteria, for example, a lettings initiative or disabled adaptations.
• The date and time that bidding for the property closes.
• A photograph of the property. 

When you see a property you are interested in, you should check what applicant group the property has been advertised for e.g. Home Seeker, Home Movers or Home Starter. You can only bid for properties that are advertised for the applicant group that you are in.

You can bid for a property in the ways listed below:

• Online through Homespot
• Telephoning: 0800 678 3091
• Emailing allocations.team@falkirk.gov.uk

If you want to bid for a property you must make sure that we receive your bid before the closing date and time stated in the advert. Bids will not be accepted after the list has closed.

You can bid for as many properties as you like in any week, if the property is advertised for the applicant group that you are in, and is the correct size for your household.

It does not matter whether you make your bid on the first day or the last day of the advertising cycle. Once bidding has closed, everyone who has made a bid for a property will be considered. We will prepare a short-list of suitable applicants who:

• meet the criteria in the advert i.e. Home Seeker, Home Mover or Home Starter and any additional qualifying criteria
• would make best use of the property – for example would use all the bedrooms
• are not suspended for any reason
• have a recommendation for a property type which matches the property advertised (where applicable)

The short listed applicants will be ranked in order of their level of priority.

If there is more than one applicant with the same level of priority, the property will be offered to the applicant that has had that priority longest. For applicants in Band 4, this will be their date of application. 

If there are no bids for a property from the advertised applicant group, we will either directly match the property to a Home Seeker that has not been bidding for properties or we will re-advertise the property for All Groups. 

If your bid is successful, you will normally be contacted within 14 days of the closing date. If you are not available when we try and contact you, a letter or card will be left at the address you have given us on your application if residing within the Falkirk Council district. If you reside outside Falkirk Council’s district, we will attempt contact via the remaining details we have (telephone/email).

It is very important that you respond quickly. If we do not hear from you within 48 hours, it will be considered that you are refusing a potential offer of housing which means that the offer will count as one of your offers of housing. Your application will also be suspended for 28 days and if you do not contact us within the 28 days, to let us know that you are still interested in housing, your application will be cancelled. 
 

If you have not heard from us within 14 days of the closing date, it is unlikely that you have been successful on that occasion, and you should keep bidding for properties which suit your needs.

We hope that if your bid is successful, you will accept the property you are offered. However, if you a Home Mover or Home Starter and refuse two properties, you will lose any priority for housing need and move to Band 4.

If you are a Home Seeker and refuse your offer, your priority for homelessness will be removed as the Council will have discharged its duty to you in terms of homeless legislation. Your application group will change from Home Seeker to Home Starter and your housing situation will be reassessed. If you are living in temporary accommodation provided by the council, you will have to leave this.

If you are a Home Seeker and have not been actively bidding for properties, we will make you an offer of housing out with Homespot i.e. we will directly match you to a property. We will try to offer you a property in the areas you have chosen but this will depend on the availability of properties.

If you refuse this offer of housing, your priority for homelessness will be removed as the Council will have discharged its duty to you in terms of homeless legislation. Your application group will change from Home Seeker to Home Starter and your housing situation will be reassessed. If you are living in temporary accommodation provided by the Council, you will have to leave this.

This arrangement to make you an offer outwith Homespot will also apply if you refuse a property offered under nomination arrangements to a Registered Social Landlord.

If, during the 3 month period, there have been no suitable properties advertised or your bids have been unsuccessful, you will continue to be a Home Seeker in Band One. We will continue to monitor your application to make sure you are bidding for properties which meet your household needs. If you are living in temporary accommodation provided by the Council, you can continue to live there.

You have a right to appeal this decision.

We are committed to housing you in the quickest time possible and to ensure your housing need is met. Therefore, if you are awarded a Band 1 or Band 2 and have not placed any eligible bids for 3 months, you will be moved into Band 4.

If you think you will have difficulty managing your application and placing bids, you can ask for help.

If you have been awarded a Band 3 or 4 and have not placed any eligible bids for a period of 12 months your application will be cancelled. We will send a letter to advise you that you are at risk of having your application cancelled. You can request a review of the decision to cancel your application.

If you have bid for and moved into a new home, you will need to wait for 12 months from your new tenancy start date to re-apply to move home. This does not apply if there has been a significant change in your circumstances during this period.