Home movers' anger as Falkirk Council extends temporary housing allocation policy

At yesterday’s meeting of the local authority’s executive it was agreed to continue this policy for a further three months, something which was not welcomed by council tenants in the “mover” category.

One tenant said: “Back in October last year the council made a change to the way it allocated its housing stock and this has drastically reduced the opportunity for overcrowded families to bid for larger properties.

“The change was initially for a three month period and was allocating 70 per cent of the council’s housing stock to homeless only applicants. This left only 15 per cent for families like mine, in the ‘mover’ category, and 15 per cent for those in the ‘starter. category.

“This policy had been due to end on January 27 this year on the next housing cycle from that date, but it is still going on. It looks as though the council have purposely extended what was supposed to be a three-month policy into what is now a five-month policy and counting.

“There is a massive overcrowding problem in the area as well as a homeless problem and having properties vacant for so long is not going to alleviate either problem, just make it worse.

“The council seems to be simply making their own rules up as they go along.”

The local authority believes the temporary housing allocations policy had had a positive impact on the homelessness situation.

A Falkirk Council spokesperson said: “A temporary change to our allocations policy was agreed in October 2021. A special lettings initiative was introduced to give priority to homeless households and reduce demand on temporary accommodation.

“There has been a 12 per cent increase in homeless presentations in the last six months so the initiative has been extended for a further three months. This will allow us to not only provide suitable, permanent homes to those who have presented as homeless but also allows us to return properties – including larger properties –currently used for temporary accommodation back for mainstream let.”

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