Applying for a council or housing association home

Councils and housing associations provide rented housing across Scotland. It’s usually more affordable and secure than renting from a private landlord.

You can apply to as many councils and housing associations as you like.

If you’re already living in a council or housing association house, check how to swap your home.

How to apply

You must be aged 16 years or older to apply for housing.

The local council can give you information on who provides housing in the area and how to apply.

Some councils have a common housing register. This means you can apply once and join the waiting list for both a council house and local housing association homes.

Check how to apply for housing from your local council

Applying to housing associations

You can also apply to individual housing associations directly.

Find a list of housing associations on the Scottish Housing Regulator website.

What happens after you apply

You’ll be added to a waiting list until the council or housing association can offer you a home. How long that takes depends on your priority.

Councils and housing associations have different ways of deciding priority. These are explained in their allocations policy.

When you must get priority on a list

You must get priority on a housing list if you are:

currently homeless or likely to become homeless and have unmet housing needs
living in unsatisfactory conditions and have unmet housing needs
under-occupying your current home – for example, if you’re the only person living in a 3-bedroom house

Unmet housing needs means that you need a new home, because your current home cannot meet needs you have. For example, if you need an accessible or adapted home, and your current home could not be adapted to meet these needs.

Unsatisfactory conditions can mean lots of things, including:

your home is legally overcrowded
your home is below the legal standard of repair
you’re experiencing domestic abuse in your home
you’re being harassed in your home

Getting help with your priority

Shelter Scotland has advice on dealing with priority problems.

Get advice on priority on the Shelter Scotland website.

Checking if you can choose a property

If the council or housing association offers choice-based letting, this means you can register for properties you’re interested in.

Check with the council or housing association if they offer choice-based letting when you apply.

If they do not, you’ll be offered a property the council or housing association thinks is suitable for you.

Accepting or refusing a housing offer

You should get an offer of a house in writing and get time to consider it. You should get the chance to view the property before you accept it.

Check with the council or housing association what will happen if you refuse an offer. You could be suspended from the housing list or lose your priority if you refuse an offer without a good reason.

When you accept an offer, you’ll get a tenancy agreement to sign. Check what rights you'll have when you sign the tenancy agreement.

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