Build to Rent Partnerships in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Build to rent partnerships in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire are arrangements where homes are designed and built specifically for renting and owned long term by an institution or registered provider. Land to Homes brings land, planning and construction, and discusses forward funding, where the partner funds the build, or forward purchase, where the partner commits to buy the finished homes. This is not an offer to invest.
Aberdeen & AberdeenshireStart a conversation
Tell us about your organisation or opportunity and we will call you back.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Private conversationsEvery arrangement documented
- Land to homesLand, planning and construction
- Housing partnersCouncils and housing associations
- No public offerNothing here is an offer to invest
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Partnerships around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Our Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire coverage takes in 5 towns and cities, centred on Aberdeen and including Inverurie, Fraserburgh and Peterhead. If your land is near a boundary, we also cover Moray, Angus & Dundee and Perth & Kinross.
Partnerships we can discuss around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire include joint ventures with landowners, land-led schemes with a housing partner and design and build for a registered provider. Because Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire is in Scotland, land titles are registered with Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) and transfers attract Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
If you are considering a partnership around Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, we are happy to talk privately.
What you get in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Not an offer to invest
Nothing here is an offer or invitation to invest. Arrangements are agreed privately with professional partners, each taking its own advice.
Nation-aware tenancies
Each nation has its own tenancy law, and schemes are planned with the rules that will apply to tenants and landlords in mind.
Designed for renting
Layouts, storage, specifications and amenities are chosen for long-term letting and management, rather than adapted from homes designed for sale.
Houses or apartments
Single-family rental houses on suburban sites or apartments in towns, depending on the site, the planning context and the partner's requirements.
Planning in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire: the Scottish rules
Affordable homes in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire are mainly funded through the Scottish Government's Affordable Housing Supply Programme, with councils and registered social landlords building them. Councils set local investment priorities in their Strategic Housing Investment Plans. On private developments, Local Development Plans often require an affordable housing contribution, secured through a Section 75 agreement. Land to Homes can bring forward land and deliver homes for councils and housing associations.
In Scotland, build to rent homes are let on private residential tenancies, and landlords must register with the council. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 allows rent control areas, with exemptions for qualifying build to rent and mid-market rent properties. Land and Buildings Transaction Tax applies, and planning obligations are secured through Section 75 agreements.
| National planning policy | National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), which forms part of the statutory development plan |
|---|---|
| Local planning document | Local Development Plan (LDP) |
| Who decides applications | The council as planning authority (or a national park authority in its area) |
| In-principle consent | Planning permission in principle (PPP), followed by approval of matters specified in conditions |
| Land transaction tax (paid by the buyer) | Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) |
| Land registration | Registers of Scotland (Land Register of Scotland) |
| How a sale becomes binding | Land sales are concluded through missives, formal letters exchanged between solicitors that become a binding contract once concluded, followed by settlement on the date of entry and registration in the Land Register of Scotland. |
| Developer contributions | Section 75 planning obligations, with Section 69 agreements sometimes used for simple one-off payments |
Common questions in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
What is build to rent?
Build to rent is housing designed and built specifically for renting, held in single ownership and professionally managed. It can take the form of apartment blocks or single-family houses. Homes are let directly by the owner or its operator rather than sold, and schemes often include on-site management and shared facilities for residents.
Can registered providers take on build to rent homes?
Yes. Registered providers can acquire rental homes through forward purchase or package deals, including homes for social rent, affordable rent, mid-market rent or market rent, depending on the nation and their own objectives. We discuss schemes with providers and plan them around the provider's standards and funding conditions.
Is this an investment opportunity?
No. Nothing on this site is an offer or invitation to invest, and we do not take money from members of the public. Build to rent partnerships are agreed privately with institutions, registered providers and other professional parties, each relying on its own advisers and due diligence. We do not publish projected profits or performance figures.
What is the difference between forward funding and forward purchase?
With forward funding, the partner buys the site and pays for construction in stages as the scheme is built. With forward purchase, the partner agrees to buy the finished homes on completion, while the developer arranges construction finance in the meantime. The structures share risk differently, so each party takes its own legal and tax advice.
Do you work with partners on schemes in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire?
Yes. We discuss schemes across Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, including Inverurie, Peterhead and Stonehaven privately with professional partners. Nothing on this website is an offer or invitation to invest.
Read more: Build to Rent Partnerships · Guide: Renting a new-build home: tenancy rules in England, Wales, Scotland and NI