Where to rent central Glasgow?

[Eeyoresbreakfast707]

Hello, can anyone recommend the best areas to live for a late twenties adult moving to central Glasgow on a very short deadline for a new job please? They are excited at the prospect but have never lived in Scotland, never mind Glasgow before. They are looking to rent but the market seems very fast and because they are working hard on a new project, they don't have a lot of time to look.

And do you have any tips about Glasgow life? What to do, what to avoid, best places to to visit?

Thanks in advance for any advice or tips!

Sorry can't help with specifics as I'm not in Glasgow but just to warn you there's been a lot in the press recently about rental shortages in Glasgow. It's a big problem getting accommodation at the moment.

There's lots of Glasgow Scotsnetters so hopefully someone will be along to help you shortly..

Yes, there’s a bit of a rental crisis in Glasgow at the moment. So many people competing for too few properties.

Assuming your friend has a decent enough budget I’d say either Merchant City if they like city centre living or West End (Hyndland, Partickhill, Hillhead, Botanic Gardens, Kelvingrove, Finnieston) if they like close-to-the-city-but-not-in-the-city-but-still--buzzy-and-trendy living.

The West End would always my preferred spot.

West End would be my suggestion - Finnieston, Yorkhill, Kelvinhall alongside Hyndland, Botanics etc. It's a lovely city - your DC will no doubt love it.

South side is also worth considering and less likely to be competing with students. Shawlands or Pollokshields - G41 area has good transport links and is quite "buzzy"

Wealthy or student types go West End or City Centre. You pay the price for living dead centre of it all.

East end is a poorer area but there are lovely places and there has been increased students around the Barras area. If you got a flat near Trongate, you'd be city centre for much less the cost.

Southside is a mixed bag. You have areas of poverty like Govan/Penilee but also really lovely places like Cathcart, Battlefield and Shawlands at reasonable prices. Victoria Road and park seems to be emerging from it's past as a dodgy landlord/eastern european hot spot to up and coming with nice cafe culture but be wary. I'd look around the Victoria Park areas. I loved living in Cathcart.

Depending on your budget, you can go as far as Croftfoot or Newlands which are nice but a bit further out.

There will be less competition if you look away from student hot spots.

It is very chaotic right now, my wee sister has been trying to find new accomodation and is looking at everything up to 600pm as far out as east Kilbride. Every one she's emailed/phoned about gets taken before she can even schedule a viewing. Houses in places like Rutherglen (I'm from there so can say it lol) are going up to £800+pm which is insane.

So I think be very flexible and it's a bit of a numbers game.

Would she consider a flat share. I know someone with a spare room.

Battlefield, which is a nice buzzy kind of place.

PM me if you're interested.

Shawlands (and the neighbouring Pollokshields, Newlands, Battlefield and Strathbungo) would be my advice. Less expensive than the West End and with a real buzz (as evidenced by the number of fancy coffee shops, eateries and bakeries ). Good transport links into town and lovely parks (plus the Burrell Collection) .

There are a few FB groups that it would be worth joining, both to ask about rentals and to spot any coming up for rent: "I love Pollokshields" and "Strathbungo and Shawlands Community Group" are the two main ones I can think of.

Thank you so much everyone for these replies. Having no personal knowledge of the area at all, it is massively helpful to have a basic steer about where to start looking. And thanks for the warnings about the rental crisis too; best to be prepared in these circumstances!

On behalf of my family member, thank you again so much for the advice which is very much appreciated!

Agree with this having lived there myself for several years! I lived in Shawlands so great for transport to central Glasgow.

West end is full of students and tourists. If they want to be fairly west endy they could try for Finnieston. But I reckon it will be nigh on impossible to rent there at the moment and they will pay through the nose for anything they do get.

Southside is great, stick to Shawlands, Langside and Battlefield. Loads of restaurants and bars and cool cafes. Govanhill is getting better but still has a huge rat problem and tbh you couldn't pay me to live there. Newlands is dull and transport not brilliant into town.

Depending on their personality and money, another wildcard could be Cessnock. Big tenement flats, large Asian community so loads of Asian supermarkets and nice places to eat and it's on the underground so you're never more than 10 minutes from town. Cons are that it is close to Ibrox and at weekends there are football crowds.

They won't want to be actually in the city centre. It's filthy and noisy so avoid Sauchiehall Street. The closest to the centre I'd go is Merchant City, Cowcaddens and Garnet hill and Woodlands.

Mega wild card...If they don't have to live in Glasgow proper could they live in Paisley??? Lots of lovely new build flats around, very frequent and regular trains to Glasgow and a nice studenty vibe nowadays. Still pockets of high deprivation and although the high street has seen better days it is filling up with artists etc.

If you want any specific info just private message me and ask. I'm not in Glasgow anymore but I am born and bred and my family is all still there.

Again, these tips are very helpful and much appreciated, thank you! And they all form a great basis on which to start some research ...

West end is full of students and tourists.

Lots of students yes, but tourists? The only time I clock any tourists is around Kelvingrove. I don't think there's anywhere in Glasgow that feels full of tourists tbh.

I have a relative that has been looking for months for a place to rent - one flat had 40 bookings for viewing.

I would advise have some criteria but prepared to be flexible. Have references at the ready and all paperwork like bank statements etc available.
I am biased but I love dennistoun. Been here 18 years and whilst I love being West end or southsids, I am really happy in our area. Rents are rising but still slot cheaper than other areas.
Good luck to them, I think Glasgow is a great city.

Yes we had heard that queues for flat viewings are very long atm! That's good advice about having paper work and references at the ready. Thanks Chompie

www.heraldscotland.com/news/23038348.glasgows-shawlands-named-among-worlds-coolest-neighbourhoods/

Definitely Shawlands and the surrounding areas!

Good luck with finding any suitable rental properties in Scotland. Sturgeon put a price freeze on all rental properties. Also no one can be evicted until the Spring. No matter how many arrears they are in. Now those safely in a property won't/can't move. Those owning the properties are selling up in droves. Hence demand through the roof but supply through the floor. So many families with small children can't find anywhere to rent now. Thanks for that Nicola.

Noted caringcarer. Thank you, I didn't know about the price freeze. It all sounds really difficult.

It doesn't need to be awfully difficult - I suppose it really does depend on the person's budget and personality and how much they are willing to compromise. If they are not looking to put down roots, they don't need to worry about being super close to the university and they have an ok budget they should be ok.

Highschoolprobs thank you, I will convey that info!

Get a room in a big flat in either Shawlands or Finnieston.

That's what the hipsters are doing/ staying.

I agree with everyone who says there is a very high level of demand at the moment and your family member will probably have to take what they can get. Or even move into and Air BNB for a couple of months.

It’s incredibly busy. Letting agents have to take down online adverts within a few hours as there are so many interested parties and they will only do viewings for the first 20-30 people . They are reluctant to let properties to someone who hasn’t viewed it as they often pull out - they don’t need to take that risk as they have plenty good applicants who have viewed it / already live locally .

Does your relative know that there is no minimum rental period here, so they can easily move on if / when they find something more suitable?