Social Housing in Highlands & Islands
If you need a social rent home in Highlands & Islands, apply to the council's housing register or to housing associations working in the area, not to a developer. They assess need and decide who is offered each home. Land to Homes builds new social homes for those landlords to own and manage, which adds to the supply they can allocate.
Highlands & IslandsRegister your interest
Tell us where you want to live and what you need. Free, no obligation.
Registering interest is not a housing application. Social and affordable homes are allocated by councils and housing providers through their own lists.
Prefer to talk? Call 0800 088 6248.
- Free to registerNo fees, no deposit, no obligation
- Hear firstIf homes are released near you
- Affordable homesWith councils and housing associations
- Clear informationTenure, specification and warranty
- UK-wideEngland, Wales, Scotland and NI
Registering for homes in Highlands & Islands
Our Highlands & Islands coverage takes in 6 towns and cities, centred on Inverness and including Thurso, Stornoway and Fort William. Neighbouring areas we also cover include Moray, Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire and Angus & Dundee.
Registrations for Highlands & Islands cover homes for affordable rent, homes for private rent and one- and two-bedroom apartments. As Highlands & Islands is in Scotland, applications are judged against National Planning Framework 4, and the buyer of land pays Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT).
Register for Highlands & Islands and we will contact you if we bring homes forward nearby.
Our approach in Highlands & Islands
Built to landlord standards
Social landlords have their own design and quality standards, and we design to them from the outset so homes are ready to transfer.
Nation-aware
Social housing law, regulation and funding differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and we work within each system.
Part of mixed schemes
Social rent homes are often the affordable housing element of a larger development, secured through a planning obligation agreed with the council.
Homes for social landlords
We plan and build social rent homes for councils and housing associations to own, manage and let to households from their lists.
Rules that apply in Highlands & Islands
Scotland's Affordable Housing Supply Programme has a national target for new affordable homes, most of them for social rent. Councils and registered social landlords around Highlands & Islands deliver most of these, mainly as new build, with registered social landlords regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator. Land to Homes can supply sites, design and construction to help partners deliver, whether on land we bring forward or land a partner already owns.
In Scotland, social homes are let by councils and registered social landlords regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator, usually on a Scottish secure tenancy. Many areas run common housing registers. New social rent homes are largely funded through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, and planning contributions can be 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 |
Social Housing in Highlands & Islands: questions
What is the difference between social housing and affordable housing?
Social housing usually means low-cost rented homes let by councils and housing associations at social rents. Affordable housing is a wider term that also includes affordable rent, shared ownership, discounted sale and, in Scotland, mid-market rent. All social housing is affordable housing, but not all affordable housing is social housing.
Can I apply to Land to Homes for a social rent home?
No. Land to Homes does not allocate social housing or keep a housing list. Social homes are allocated by councils and housing associations through their own lists and policies. To apply, contact your council's housing team or local housing associations. In Northern Ireland, apply through the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which manages the common waiting list.
Can social housing be built on land I own?
Yes. Land can be sold to a developer who includes social homes in the scheme, or offered for a scheme built entirely for a council or housing association. Planning policy often requires affordable homes on larger sites anyway. Our free site appraisal looks at whether your land suits new homes and which route makes sense.
How is social housing allocated?
Councils and housing associations allocate social homes using published allocation policies that give priority to households in housing need, such as people who are homeless, overcrowded or living in unsuitable housing. Many areas use a shared register or choice-based lettings, where applicants bid for advertised homes. The details vary by council and by nation.
Are there new homes available in Highlands & Islands now?
Not yet. Land to Homes has no homes available in Highlands & Islands at the moment. You can register your interest for Highlands & Islands, and we will contact you if we bring homes forward there or nearby.
Read more: Social Housing · Guide: How affordable and social homes are delivered across the UK