Renting a council property

On this page you can find out about:

How properties are allocated

As of August 2021, we have introduced a Choice Based Lettings approach to allocating properties.

Choice Based Letting (CBL) is an alternative method of allocating housing. It gives you more choice in where you may be allocated a property.

The system is still based on housing need therefore to be considered for vacancies, you must have registered for a Housing Online account and submitted a housing application. Details on how to do this can be found at the how to apply for council property section. Your application will be assessed to determine your housing need and you will be allocated the appropriate banding. Once this has been completed, you will be able to register your interest in properties for rent.

When a property becomes available, we will advertise it on our weekly lists of vacancies. These adverts will be available to view between 9.30am on a Tuesday to 6pm the following Monday. The advert will include information about the property including rent costs and any special features. You will be able to register an interest in all properties which meet your needs.

When we offer properties to prospective tenants, we give preference to people who:

  • are homeless or are threatened with homelessness and who have unmet housing needs
  • are living under unsatisfactory housing conditions and who have unmet housing needs
  • are tenants of houses which are held by a social landlord, which the social landlord selecting its tenants considers to be under occupied

Type of properties that we have

We've approximately 13,000 properties across Aberdeenshire. These vary in size from bedsits and small flats to larger family homes. There's significant demand for our properties with long waiting lists in most areas and few properties becoming vacant, so most applicants don't get an offer of a council property.

Our housing waiting list and relets information 2022 to 2023 (PDF 67KB) shows the number of people on the waiting list and how many properties were re-let in each area. You can also view the number of mainstream properties in each settlement in Aberdeenshire by size (PDF 185KB).

How much rent will you have to pay

The rent you'll pay for a council property varies according to the characteristics of the property.

Our average rent information shows the average weekly rents by town and property size, as at 31st March 2023: average weekly rent for council property by town and size (PDF 145KB).

How to apply for a council property

You can apply for housing using our online housing application form

If you'd like to find out more about the admission to the waiting list and the allocation process please view our apply for council housing page. If you need any more information or you need housing or homeless advice please phone or visit your local Housing office.

What happens once you have applied

When we receive your application we'll check the information you've given. We may need to contact you for additional supporting information or ask for references from previous landlords.

When we're satisfied that the information provided is accurate your application is placed on the waiting list according to your housing need. Your housing need is worked out by an assessment of your current individual circumstances, including how you're coping in your current accommodation

Our allocation policy sets out how houses are allocated based on an assessment of housing need.

Once you have received notification of your award, you may register an interest in any vacancies which you feel will meet your needs.