The Housing Options Guide is designed to help you find a house in East Lothian. Each section explains one of the main types of housing solution available in East Lothian. 

If you have a clear idea of the housing you want, you can link to the relevant section using the 'Topic List' at the right hand side of this page. The following summary should help point you in the right direction.

Please note that the HOG is being revised to take into account recent changes. You are advised to check the information, with your local housing office.

a) If you want to find somewhere to rent, there are three sources of rented housing:
East Lothian Council, Housing Associations and Private landlords.
Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3 will tell you about them.

b) If you are interested in part-renting and part-owning a house, then see Section 4, which is about Shared Ownershiphousing, provided by Housing Associations.
 
c) If you are already a public sector tenant (e.g. of the Council or a housing Association, and are interested in swapping your house (via a transfer or mutual exchange) or buying it....then please go to the relevant parts of Section 1,  Section 2, and Section 3

d) If you are interested in building a home of your own but could not afford to without a public subsidy then study Section 5 and Section 6 on Low Cost home ownership.

e) If you are interested in buying or building a house without any grant assistance, then see Section 7 on: buying an existing house or acquiring a site and building a house

f) If you are interested in repairing or improving a privately owned house, with grant assistance from the Council  then Section 8 will tell you about the different options.
 
g) If you know of an older or disabled person who needs an adaptation to their house or some other form of practical support to enable him or her to continue living comfortably and independently in their own home,  if they live in a Council, or Housing Association property, Sections 1.5, 2.2, and 3.2 will tell you about the options.
 
h) If you are, or know of, a private landlord of an empty property who might
be interested in getting a grant to renovate and let it out,  then Section 9 will tell you about the assistance, which may be available for this purpose.
 
i) Private developers interested in building or renovating a house to let to people with community care needs, should turn to Section 10 on the Special Needs Capital Grant

In addition, the Homeseeker team can give housing options advice. Contact  the Housing reception at Haddington (01620 826600) to arrange an itnerview.