Quick answer: Glasgow City Council hasn’t owned its housing since 2003. The old council stock was transferred to Glasgow Housing Association, now called Wheatley Homes Glasgow, and the rest sits with around 60 other housing associations across the city. So “council housing Glasgow” really means social housing run by associations. You apply through the Glasgow Housing Register (one application covers many landlords) or directly with a landlord like Wheatley on MyHousing. You get a priority band based on your need, then you note interest in homes that come up. If you’re homeless or about to be, the council still has a legal duty to help, and that’s a separate, faster route. Last updated June 2026.
There’s no such thing as a council house in Glasgow any more
This trips people up all the time, so let’s clear it up first. Glasgow City Council used to be a massive landlord. Back in April 2002 the council’s tenants voted in a ballot, 58% said yes, and on 7 March 2003 more than 80,000 council homes were handed over to a new body called Glasgow Housing Association (GHA).
That was the biggest housing stock transfer in UK history. Since then the council has not been a landlord. It keeps a strategic role, it runs homelessness services, and it decides where new affordable homes get built, but it doesn’t hand out tenancies itself.
In April 2022 GHA was rebranded as Wheatley Homes Glasgow, part of the wider Wheatley Group. It’s still by far the biggest social landlord in Scotland, with more than 40,000 homes in the city (42,213 at the last count in March 2025). Alongside it sit roughly 60 other registered social landlords, from big names to small local associations that own a handful of streets.
How to apply for social housing in Glasgow
There are two main routes, and most people use both at the same time.
1. The Glasgow Housing Register
The Glasgow Housing Register is a shared waiting list used by a long list of the city’s associations. The big selling point is you fill in one application and it counts across all the participating landlords, so you’re not chasing 20 separate forms. You list your current situation, who’s in the household, any medical needs and the areas you’d take a home in.
Once you’re on, homes get advertised and you “note interest” in the ones you fancy, a bit like bidding. The landlord then looks at everyone who’s interested and offers the home to the person with the strongest priority. If two people are level, it goes to whoever applied earliest. Check the current list of participating landlords and apply at glasgowhousingregister.org.
2. Directly with Wheatley Homes Glasgow (MyHousing)
Because Wheatley owns so much of the city’s stock, a lot of people apply straight through its MyHousing service. Available Wheatley homes are advertised twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, and each home is set aside for a particular priority band so every band gets a fair share. You note interest the same way.
You can do both. Being on the Glasgow Housing Register and on MyHousing at the same time just widens the net.
Priority bands and points: how the queue actually works
Scottish social landlords don’t allocate on a first-come basis. They assess your housing need and put you in a priority band. The worse your situation, the higher the band, and higher bands get first refusal when a suitable home comes up. Exact band names and the fine print vary between landlords, so always check your own landlord’s allocation policy, but the logic is the same everywhere.
| Rough priority level | Who tends to fall into it | Realistic wait |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent / highest | Homeless households, serious overcrowding, a home that’s harming your health, fleeing harm | Shortest, but in high-demand areas still months |
| Medium | Overcrowded or under-occupied, sharing facilities, some medical need, leaving care | Often a year or more |
| General / lowest | Adequately housed but want to move area, size or landlord | Can be several years in popular areas |
Two honest points. First, your band matters far more than your wait time, a fresh urgent case can leapfrog someone who’s waited years on general need. Second, the area you pick changes everything. Hold out for a flat in a sought-after area and you’ll wait a long time. Be flexible on area and you’ll move quicker. If you’re weighing up areas, our guides to the best areas to live in Glasgow and the renting in Glasgow rundown are worth a read.
If you’re homeless or about to be, this is the fast route
This is the bit that genuinely moves quickly, and it’s run by the council, not the associations. If you’re homeless or at risk of losing your home within roughly two months, contact Glasgow City Council and they have a legal duty to assess you and offer temporary accommodation if you’ve nowhere to stay.
- Office hours: call the council on 0141 287 0555 for help and advice, or use the homelessness pages on glasgow.gov.uk.
- Out of hours / emergency: the Hamish Allan Centre, 180 Centre Street, G5 8EE, freephone 0800 838 502. It’s open evenings and overnight on weekdays and 24 hours at weekends and on public holidays.
- Free independent advice: Shelter Scotland and Citizens Advice can help you make the application and challenge a decision.
Be straight with yourself about the current picture. Glasgow declared a housing emergency in November 2023 and it’s still in force in 2026. There are close to 6,000 homeless households waiting on an offer and the council is paying for around 1,500 B&B rooms a night. Temporary accommodation can mean a long stretch in a hostel or B&B before a settled tenancy turns up. Don’t let that put you off applying, the duty to house you is real, but go in with eyes open.
Mid-market rent: the in-between option
If your income’s too high for social housing priority but private rents are punishing, mid-market rent (MMR) sits in the middle. It’s let by social landlords at below the open-market rate, usually on a normal private residential tenancy, and it’s aimed at working households.
- At least one person in the house usually needs to be working.
- Household income limits vary by provider, broadly in the £20,000 to £46,000 range. Lowther Homes, Wheatley’s MMR arm, currently sets a ceiling around £46,000.
- You apply directly to the MMR provider, not through the social housing register.
The main Glasgow players are Lowther Homes and a number of the larger associations. Check each one’s current income limits before you get your hopes up, they change and they differ. MMR isn’t cheap, but it’s typically a chunk under what you’d pay a private landlord for the same flat. If you’re budgeting a move, line it up against our cost of living in Glasgow guide and don’t forget council tax on top of the rent.
What to have ready before you apply
- ID for everyone in the household (passport, driving licence or birth certificates).
- Proof of your current address and your current housing situation.
- Medical or support letters if a health condition affects what kind of home you need, this is what bumps your band.
- A realistic area list. The wider you go, the faster you move.
- Patience and a habit of checking. New adverts drop regularly, and missing them means missing your turn.
FAQ
Does Glasgow City Council still own council houses?
No. The council transferred all its housing in 2003 and is no longer a landlord. “Council housing” in Glasgow today means social housing run by associations like Wheatley Homes Glasgow and around 60 others.
How long is the wait for social housing in Glasgow?
It depends entirely on your priority band and the areas you’ll accept. Urgent cases can be housed in months, general-need applicants in popular areas can wait years. There’s no single waiting list number that applies to everyone.
Do I apply once or to every landlord separately?
The Glasgow Housing Register lets you apply once across many participating landlords. Wheatley also runs its own MyHousing service. Plenty of people use both to widen their options.
What counts as a high priority band?
Homelessness, serious overcrowding, a home that’s damaging your health, or needing to flee harm tend to attract the highest priority. Medical evidence is key to getting recognised.
Can I get help if I’m homeless tonight?
Yes. Call the Hamish Allan Centre on 0800 838 502 out of hours, or the council on 0141 287 0555 during the day. The council has a legal duty to assess you and offer somewhere to stay.
What’s mid-market rent and who’s it for?
It’s below-market rent for working households who earn too much for social housing priority but find private rents steep. Income limits are roughly £20,000 to £46,000 depending on the provider. You apply directly to providers like Lowther Homes.
Rules, income limits, phone numbers and waiting times all change. Always confirm the current details with the official sources: glasgow.gov.uk, glasgowhousingregister.org, mygov.scot and your chosen landlord. Last updated June 2026.
