Market purchase scheme

How we buy homes to meet local housing needs

Our market purchase scheme helps us buy homes to increase the supply of council housing across South Lanarkshire. By buying suitable properties, we can offer more affordable homes in the areas people want to live, and better meet local housing needs.

If you own a property and are thinking about selling, this page explains what types of homes we may buy and the benefits of selling directly to us.

What the scheme does

With support from the Scottish Government’s affordable housing supply programme, we can buy:

former council homes
homes for sale on the open market
some homes sold directly to us by owners or landlords

Homes we buy are added to the council’s housing stock and let to applicants on our waiting lists.

What types of homes we consider

Housing needs change, so we consider all property sizes and types. However, a property must have an up‑to‑date home report and meet at least one of the following aims.

Meeting housing demand

We may buy homes in areas where demand is high, if the size or type helps meet local needs.

Supporting regeneration or tackling empty homes

We may buy properties to support regeneration work or bring long‑term empty homes back into use, especially where they are affecting an area.

Majority ownership in a block

In some cases, buying a home helps us become the main owner in a block. This can make it easier to carry out repairs and upgrades to meet housing quality or energy standards.

Meeting urgent housing needs

We may buy a home if it offers a quicker and more cost‑effective way to meet a specific housing need than adapting an existing council property.

The council are interested in acquiring properties across South Lanarkshire with some specific requirements in some areas as noted in the table below, although all property sizes and types may be considered as housing need can regularly change:

Housing division	Area	Current need
Hamilton, Larkhall and Blantyre	Bothwell, Blantyre and Uddingston Hamilton Larkhall, Stonehouse and Netherburn	Any size and type with a particular need for three and four bedroom properties. Any size and type with a particular need for three and four bedroom properties. Any size and type in central Larkhall with a particular need for ground floor or accessible properties.
Rutherglen and Cambuslang	All areas	Any size and type with increased need for ground floor or wheelchair accessible properties.
East Kilbride	All areas	Any size and any type with increased need for larger homes and ground floor or wheelchair accessible properties. Flatted properties within Drury Lane, Globe Court, Old Vic Court, Phoenix Court, Sadlers Wells and Shaftsbury Multi Storey buildings.
Clydesdale	Carluke and Lanark	Any size and type with increased need for two and three bedroom properties.

How properties can be offered to us

We may consider homes that are:

for sale on the open market
former council homes offered directly by owner occupiers or private landlords
empty for more than 12 months, based on council tax records
currently leased to us by a private landlord, if offered with vacant possession

Why sell your home to us

Selling directly to us can be simpler and less stressful. Benefits include:

no estate agent fees
no chain
no viewings
no obligation to accept an offer

If you want to discuss selling your property to us, email landandproperty@southlanarkshire.gov.uk. We can explain the process and answer your questions.