Our history

Link was formed in 1962 and has since grown to be one of Scotland’s leading providers of housing and related services.

The timeline below charts our major milestones. In 2012, to celebrate our 50th year in operation, we published a special annual report.  Read Link's 50th Anniversary Report. 

1960s

1962 Link Housing Association formed on 13 September 1962

1962 First office established at 11 Hill Street, Edinburgh

1963 Link Benevolent Housing Trust established to provide small flats for retired people

1965 Link's housing development in Polmont receives Saltire award for architectural excellence

1968 The Link group becomes Link and Associated Housing Societies 

1970s

1974 New Act introduces Housing Association Grant to help associations carry out major repairs

1975 Link is the first Scottish Housing Association to be registered with the Housing Corporation

1976 Glasgow office established in St Vincent Street and head office moves to 38 York Place, Edinburgh

1977 First Falkirk office opened at 18 Campfield Street

1977 Link agrees a five-year development programme with Falkirk Council to create 600 homes 

1979 Falkirk office relocated to 35 Vicar Street

1980s

1980 Link opens its first sheltered housing development in Kirkintilloch

1982 Link pilots a new tenure - shared ownership - designed to help first-time buyers   

1984 Link begins building homes in the Borders and Highlands

1985 Link Homes subsidiary established to develop low-cost housing for sale

1987 Right to Buy introduced for housing association tenants - Link forced to sell hundreds of properties

1988 Supported Accommodation department created

1989 Head office moves to 45-47 Albany Street, Edinburgh

1990s

1990 Stock transfer programme from Cumbernauld Development Corporation begins  

1991 Council tenants in Hillhouse, Hamilton vote to transfer to Link

1992 Glasgow office closed and new base opened in Cumbernauld town centre

1993 Falkirk office moves to 33-35 Wellside Place

1995 Inverlink established

1996 Link takes over business of Lowlands Housing Society  

1998 Link appoints its first Tenant Liaison Officer

1999 Link hosts its first national tenant conference

2000s

2000  Link merges with Gap Housing Association instantly becoming the largest organisation of its type

2001  Major review of the organisation with new group structure created – Link Group, Link Housing, Link Homes, Linkwide, LinkLiving, LinkProperty, InverLink

2004 Link receives award for outstanding achievement in promoting tenant participation

2006  New Customer Service Centre opened at Watling House, Falkirk

2006  Further reorganisation. Link Group now parent company to Link Housing, LinkLiving and Linkwide (which incorporates Link Homes)

2006  Larkfield Housing Association joins the Link group

2006  Link achieves Investors in People throughout the whole organisation

2006  Link wins the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland’s Excellence in Community Regeneration Award, in recognition of its work in Petersburn, North Lanarkshire.

2007  New head office at New Mart Road, Edinburgh

2008 Link takes ownership of stock from Port Glasgow and Blythswood Housing Associations

2009  Link launches ‘Access Ownership’ 

2009  Link becomes only the second Registered Social Landlord in Scotland to win the Healthy Working Lives Gold Award.

2009  Horizon Housing Association joins the Link group

2009  Link’s Older Persons’ Advice Project wins the 2009 UK Housing Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Housing in Scotland’

2010s

2010 Link wins ‘Large Housing Association of the Year’ in the 2010 Scottish Home Awards

2010 Link wins the contract to manage The City of Edinburgh Council’s Private Sector Leasing scheme.

2010 Link wins “Service Provider of the year (working with under 24s)” and “Service Provider of the Year (working with 65 + age group)” at The Herald Society awards.

2011 Link is named in the top 25 “Best Workplaces in Scotland” and in the top 50 “Best Workplaces in UK” by the Great Places to Work Institute

2011 LinkLiving achieves Investing in Volunteers accreditation

2012 Link achieves Investors in People Gold recognition

2012 Link celebrates its 50th birthday with a reception for colleagues, partners and friends – past and present.

2013 Link is first Registered Social Landlord to become a National Skills Academy for Construction.

2013 Link wins ‘Housing Association of the Year’ at the Scottish Home Awards.

2013 Link Property, Link’s new in-house repairs and maintenance service launched in the west of Scotland

2013 Link wins ‘Scottish Social Enterprise of the year’ and ‘UK Social Enterprise of the Year’ 

2013 LinkLiving Ltd’s RealLiving Older People’s Service wins ‘Older People’s Project of the Year’ at the Herald Society Awards

2013 Link wins ‘Employer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Achievement’ at the Falkirk Herald/Falkirk Council Business Awards

2014 Link secures funding of £45 million in private placement deal with M&G investments

2014 Link wins ‘Best Supporting Company’ for its Help to Buy (Scotland) team at the Homes for Scotland Awards.

2014 Link is accredited as an Investor in Diversity by the National Centre for Diversity.

2014 Link wins the ‘Small affordable housing development of the year’ award for Tannahill Crescent, Johnstone at the Scottish Homes Awards

2014 Link is accredited as a Living Wage employer.

2014 Link’s Tenant Scrutiny Panel won the ‘Best Practice in Developing Tenant Scrutiny of the Charter’ at the Tenant Participation Advisory Service Scotland Awards.