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.

Our staff will be able to help, contact us:

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 1, and the lowest level is Band 4. You will be placed in one of these Bands depending on your level of housing need. The Bands are explained below.

Band 1 is awarded to those:

• applicants who are homeless or assessed as homeless that has been determined as per relevant homelessness legislation.
• applicants who have been 'looked after and accommodated' by Falkirk Council (Care Leavers) and are moving to their first home. (Band 1 will only be awarded for their first home).
• applicants who are leaving the Armed Forces where their right to occupy service accommodation is ending 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.
• applicants who are unable to be safely discharged from hospital because their current home is no longer suitable for them and has been agreed by a multiagency case conference.
• applicants whose current accommodation coupled with the applicant's extreme health issues make a move necessary to significantly reduce the risk of injury to the applicant, and/or, where the applicants home make essential activities of daily living impossible, and it is not practical to adapt their home to meet their needs.
• applicants who have experienced significant trauma at their home, the key factor is the trauma is directly linked to the home and the impact of this trauma is adversely affecting the applicant’s mental health, we will ask for more information about this.
• applicants who are living in an overcrowded home and need two or more additional bedrooms to meet their household needs.
• applicants who are living in a one-bedroom property and have two children under the age of eight years sharing a bedroom with them.
• applicants who have two teenage children of different genders sharing a bedroom.
• applicants who are currently both social housing tenants in the Falkirk Council area who wish to move so they can live together as a family unit and need a larger property to prevent overcrowding.
• applicants who are Falkirk Council or Registered Social Landlord tenants living in the Falkirk area in a house that is too big for their household needs by two or more bedrooms.
• applicants who are living in a house that is assessed by Environmental Health as falling below tolerable standards.
• applicants who need to be re-housed because of regeneration or redevelopment in the Falkirk Council area.
• applicants with another exceptional housing need as determined and agreed by a multiagency case conference.

Band 2 is awarded to those:

• applicants who are living in a property where they do not have a secure tenure or lease.
• applicants who live in a home that is overcrowded and who need 1 additional bedroom to meet their household needs.
• applicants who need to move home because of a social housing need, such as to give or receive support from someone else to live independently and appropriate evidence provided for example carers allowance. Applicant must live over 3 miles from the person that they are providing support to or receiving support from.
• applicants who are experiencing severe harassment in their current home and the award of priority has been requested by the Conflict Resolution Team.

Band 3 is awarded to applicants who:

• have children under ten years old living in a tenement flat with no access to a shared or private garden.
• are Joint Tenants or owners of a property but no longer wish to live together because of a relationship breakdown.
• are living in a home where their independence is limited because of a physical medical condition or disability for example can manage one flight of stairs.
• want to move to the Falkirk Council area because they have a local connection to the area for example, are employed in the area.
• are homeowners who live in the Falkirk Council area who would like to downsize to a home with two or more bedrooms less than their current home.
• are living in a Private Sector rented home where they have a short-assured tenancy agreement.
• who are currently sharing amenities for example, cooking facilities or a bathroom, with another household that they are not applying to be housed with, for example staying in parents’ home.

Band 4 is awarded to applicants who apply for housing but have no housing need as listed above.

We do not award a priority for neighbour nuisance as we have a dedicated team (Conflict Resolution Team) who investigate all reported incidents of anti-social behaviour and if deemed necessary take appropriate action in line with our neighbour nuisance policy. If the Conflict Resolution Team have exhausted all actions, they may request that an applicant is awarded a Band 2 for severe harassment. 

If an applicant has experienced a significant traumatic event at their home, for example violence, we will ask for more information on this. Any award of priority will be based on the evidence gathered and how a move of tenancy will positively impact on the applicant's mental health. The evidence gathered may include information from Police Scotland in relation to the traumatic event.  

However, mental health issues that are not connected to a traumatic incident in the property itself, like general anxiety or depression will not qualify for this higher priority. The focus is on addressing urgent needs where the property is the root of the problem, ensuring those in the most pressing situations get support first.  

If an applicant applies to move home because they need support from someone else to live independently or provide this support to another person, we will ask for evidence of this, for example they receive Carers Allowance or the person who supports does, we may award the applicant a higher priority Band 2.  We will award priority if the applicant lives over 3 miles from the person that they are providing support to or receiving support from. 

A support letter from Health, Social Work or Education professionals does not automatically indicate a change in the current band award. If the author of the support letter believes that an urgent move of home is necessary, they can arrange a multi-agency case conference involving relevant professionals to thoroughly discuss and assess the situation. Such a conference will enable coordinated approach to determine the most appropriate course of action based on the individual’s needs. 

If an applicant needs to move home because their current home is classed as being below the legal satisfactory housing standard, we will need some more information to confirm this. We will need a report from an Environmental Health Officer or a Private Sector Housing Officer that explains why their home does not meet the standard.  

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; for example 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, please provide a health professionals letter that you no longer require a ground floor adapted property. Your band award for an adapted property will be removed and your current housing circumstances will be reviewed. 

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).

Falkirk Council makes the best use of the properties we have available to let. To do this, we will select an applicant to offer a property to who’s household will use all of the bedrooms contained within.  

A family is defined as a couple or a single parent (male or female) with at least one child.  

A child is defined as a person who ‘s main and principal home is with the parent who is one of the main applicants. An example of this is the parent who has the primary responsibility, and the child is registered with them for school, Medical Practice and/or receives benefits in respect of the child. 

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 10 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; for example 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. Local letting initiatives allow the Council to tackle issues such as high demand for different property types, high levels of need and estate management issues.

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 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 for example, larger tenement flats with three-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 Houses

Falkirk Council aims to make the best use of available housing resources. By allocating new builds to current tenants (Home Movers) from April 2025, the council can free up existing homes for other applicants, thereby increasing the overall availability of housing. This will not apply to adapted new build properties, to ensure those with a disability can access suitable housing that meet their 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 (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: 01324 503200
• 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.

Once you have placed a bid online you are able to see your live bid position placement using the “View Your Current Bids”.  Housing online shows your position in the bidding process based on the priority band award, but this does not mean you are guaranteed an offer for the property. For example, if you need a larger home and are placed in a higher priority banding because of that, you may still bid on the same size of home that you are in which means that the higher priority banding is not considered when shortlisting the property for offers.  

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 ie 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 the Falkirk Council area, 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 ie 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.