Getting a transfer if you rent from the council or a housing association

If you want to move to a different council or social house, you can apply for a transfer. This is sometimes called joining a transfer list.

The time it takes for a transfer depends on your housing needs and how much priority you have on the waiting list.

Applying for a transfer

Ask the council or housing association for a transfer application form.

You can also ask them if there’s a common housing register for transfers in your area. This is a joint waiting list shared between the council and different housing associations, so you only have to make one application.

You’ll have to give some details about why you want a transfer and your housing needs.

You can apply for a transfer for any reason. Some reasons will give you priority to get a transfer faster. For example:

• your home is overcrowded

• your home is too big, for example because family members have left home

• your home is not suited to your needs, for example because you’re disabled and it cannot be adapted

• you need to move to a different area, for example for work or family reasons

Check the allocations policy

Each social housing provider must have an allocations policy that tells you how much priority you’ll get on the transfer waiting list. They must give you a copy of the policy if you ask for it.

The priority system for the transfer list is usually similar to the main waiting list. Check our guidance on when you could get priority.

Where you can get a transfer

If you rent from the council, you can only get a transfer to another home in the same council area.

If you rent from a housing association, you can ask for a transfer to any of their available homes. Some housing associations have homes in different areas.

If you need to move urgently

If your home is not safe to stay in, ask your landlord for an urgent transfer, sometimes called a management transfer.

You could get a management transfer if:

• you’re experiencing domestic abuse

• you’re experiencing harassment or violence in your neighbourhood

• your home has severe repair issues that are affecting your health

You might need to provide proof of why it’s not safe, for example reports from social work, doctors or police.

If your home is not safe to stay in you may be legally homeless. The council must help you if you're homeless. Check our advice on making a homeless application.

If you’re refused a management transfer or the council will not take your homeless application, contact a Shelter Scotland adviser.

If you’re offered a transfer

The offer should be in writing, and you should be given reasonable time to think about it.

If you accept the offer you should get the same type of tenancy, so your rights will be the same. Check your rights in a Scottish secure tenancy.

The council or housing association will let you know when you can move in. If you need to pay 2 rents for a time period, check our advice on getting help to pay rent on 2 homes.

If you want to refuse an offer

If you want to refuse an offer, ask how many offers you’ll get and what happens if you refuse.

You could lose your priority if you refuse the offer. This means you could wait a long time before getting another offer.

If you’re offered a home that’s not suitable for your needs, you could ask for the offer to be withdrawn. You’ll need to explain why you think it’s not suitable. For example, if you’re disabled and it’s not adapted for your needs.

If they do not agree to withdraw the offer, contact a Shelter Scotland adviser to get help challenging this.

Other ways to get a new home

If you’re not able to transfer your home, or you want to transfer to a different area, you could:

• apply for a mutual exchange, where you swap your home with another social tenant

• apply to other councils and housing associations

• find a mid-market rent

• find a private rented home