Allocations Policies

What is it?

All Registered Social Landlords (Housing Associations, Co-Operatives and Local Authorities must follow certain rules in allocating houses to ensure fairness. These rules are set out in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, as amended by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. 

Social landlords in Scotland are responsible for developing their own allocations policies and for making decisions within these rules.

Landlords will either operate a points based or a choice based system.

Points based system

• The landlord uses the information provided by the applicant (and possibly other information) to assess each application and award points.
• When a property becomes available, the landlords considers all applicants for whom the property would be suitable and makes an offer to the applicant with the highest points.

Choice based letting system

• Applicants first register with the landlord.
• The landlord assesses the applicant and awards a priority pass.
• All properties are advertised as they become vacant and applicants interested in the property inform the landlord by 'bidding' on the property of their choice.
• The landlord considers all applicants interested in the property and offers it to the applicant with the highest priority pass.
• If two applicants have the same priority pass, the property is offered to the applicant with the oldest pass.

You can ask any housing association or co-operative for a copy of their allocations policy.