How we allocate council houses

How we allocate council houses and Priority Pass explained

Housing Allocation Policy

In the development of this policy we have considered the groups which, by law, we must give reasonable preference to. These are:-

People who are homeless or threatened with homelessness and who have unmet housing needs.
People living under unsatisfactory housing conditions and who have unmet housing needs.
Social housing tenants who the landlord allocating a property considers are under-occupying their current home.

This policy also takes into account good practice guidance issued by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Housing Regulator. Including the outcomes and standards set out in the Scottish Housing Charter.

The policy has been developed to meet the legal requirements set out in the following legislation:

Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981
Housing (Scotland)Act 1987
Human Rights Act 1998
Housing (Scotland) Act 2001
Homelessness etc (Scotland) Act 2003
The Civil Partnership Act 2005
Housing (Scotland) Act 2006
Equality Act 2010
Housing (Scotland) Act 2010
Housing (Scotland) Act 2014
Data Protection Legislation

The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is the independent regulator for landlord services provided by local authorities and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and statutory homelessness services provided by local authorities. All the partners are required to provide information to, and are regulated by, the SHR. The SHR uses the outcomes and standards in the Scottish Social Housing Charter (SSHC) to assess the performance of social landlords.

The particular SSHC outcomes that have been considered in the development of this policy are:

Outcome 1:

Every tenant and other customer has their individual needs recognised, is treated fairly and with respect, and receives fair access to housing and housing services.

Outcome 2:

Tenants and other customers find it easy to communicate with their landlord and get the information they need about their landlord, how and why it makes decisions and the services it provides

Outcome 7:

People looking for housing get information that helps them make informed choices and decisions about the range of housing options available to them.

Outcome 8:

Tenants and people on housing lists can review their housing options.

Outcome 9:

People at risk of losing their homes get advice on preventing homelessness.

Outcome 10:

People looking for housing find it easy to apply for the widest choice of social housing available and get the information they need on how the landlord allocates homes and their prospects of being housed.

Priority pass	Description
A	Unintentionally homeless or threatened with homelessness Moving from ERC young person's supported housing Special cases not covered by the allocation policy
B	Intentionally homeless or threatened with homelessness Living in East Renfrewshire or with a local connection and: living in unsatisfactory housing or cannot meet housing needs a social housing tenant with 2 or more bedrooms than you need existing home unsuitable and delaying discharge from hospital overcrowded - 2 or more bedrooms less than you need has a medical need for more suitable housing living in one of our adapted homes and no longer need adaptations leaving the Armed Forces
C	Need to move to give or get support Live in East Renfrewshire or with local connection and: sharing facilities and don't have own bed space overcrowded - 1 bedroom less than you need a social housing tenant with one more bedroom than you need experiencing harassment in current home but safe to stay for a time 2 ERC tenants combining to make 1 household
D	Live in East Renfrewshire or with local connection and: sharing facilities and have own bed space has a current home unsuitable for children who sometimes stay overnight but live somewhere else lives in a private rented house Don't live in East Renfrewshire but want to move here because you: work here have been offered a job here are looking for work here and have proof want to be near a relative or carer have a social or medical need to live in the area
E	No circumstances in A to D apply. Order of priority: Lives in East Renfrewshire or with a local connection to area and no housing need No local connection and has a medical need for more suitable housing No local connection and no medical need for more suitable housing

Last modified on 18 July 2025