About us
We are Housing Options Scotland, Scotland's only national housing information and advice charity for disabled people, older adults and members of the Armed Forces community. We provide free, expert housing support to help individuals navigate their housing challenges with confidence. We work across all tenures, from homelessness to ownership.
First established in 1997 as Ownership Options in Scotland, we are a charity registered in Scotland (SC027335) and a non-profit organisation. In 2009 we changed our name to Housing Options Scotland to better reflect the range of housing options we can advise on. This includes home ownership (including shared equity, shared ownership, self and custom build), private renting (including buy-to-let-to-a-relative), sheltered housing, mid-market rent and social housing. We are also able to support individuals who are facing homelessness.
We are a strategic partner of the Scottish Government, who provide the majority of our funding, though we are also lucky to be supported by a range of grant foundations and individual donors. Find out more about how we are funded.
Our guiding principles
- We work to help people make informed decisions about housing.
- We are experts on housing options in Scotland.
- We work in partnership with others to tackle Scotland's housing emergency and prevent homelessness.
- We nurture our people so that they can support others.
- We are financially and environmentally sustainable.
Our vision
That everyone has access to the information and support they need to secure a safe and suitable home.
Our values
Our values form the foundation of how we work and guide the care and practical advice that we provide to our clients. We are:
- EthicalWe uphold the highest standards of trust and integrity in all that we do.
- InclusiveWe embrace diversity and strive for every individual we work with to feel valued, listened to and supported.
- CommittedWe are committed to providing reliable and practical, person-centred housing advice that helps individuals to make informed decisions.
- AccountableWe pledge to be transparent in our workings and to uphold the highest standards of governance.