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Edinburgh Student Housing Co-Operative

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Social
  • Urban

Founding year

  • 2013

What we do

Edinburgh Student Housing Cooperative Ltd was founded in January 2014, and we moved into our current premises at 28 & 34 Wright’s Houses in August 2014. The Co-op is owned and run democratically by its 106 student residents, making us the UK’s largest student-run housing project. All members are expected to contribute to the community and help with the day-to-day responsibilities of managing residential property.

Our Mission

Providing affordable rent, empowering members via consensual decision-making, and providing the space for learning valuable life skills.

  • Purpose
  • Social
  • Community type
  • Student Co-op

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2013
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2014
  • Started living together
  • 106 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
106

How to join

Applications are open regularly throughout the year for membership of the co-op, with tenancy start dates of January, June, or September 1st – please check our website to find out when the next upcoming window is. If an applicant is approved by the wider membership via voting/vetting but is not offered a specific space for one of those dates (due to far higher demand than we have places for), they will be placed on a waiting list and may be contacted by flats with offers of membership due to mid-semester move-outs.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Get in touch prior at contact@eshc.coop.

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

Decision-making process

  • Full Consensus

Everyone must agree before moving forward.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Conflict resolution approach

Every member of the co-operative is assigned a specific role in our Work-Share Plan, each role belonging to one of a number of Working Groups. These WGs meet weekly and take care of the day-to-day runnings of the co-op, with General Meetings held roughly every two weeks to make big decisions and approve spending. All meetings are run entirely via consensus decision-making.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Join fee: $255
Regular fees: $477
Labor: Yes (5 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Garden(s), Library, Workshop, Internet

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • ESHC leases its two buildings.

Setting

  • Urban

Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.

Community type

  • Student Co-op

    Cooperative housing primarily for students, often with shared chores,
    meals, and democratic decision-making.

Food systems

  • Community garden

Guest Book

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Location

  • Scotland, United Kingdom

Edinburgh Student Housing Co-Operative

Promoted Needs and Offers

Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
2 months ago

“Lots” of Goodness For Sale!

Are you seeking to live in a sustainable, wellness-oriented community that prioritizes nature and environmental conservation? Living Well Ecovillage offers the perfect opportunity to be part of a vibrant, self-sufficient community committed to holistic health and ecological harmony. Available lots are equipped with city utilities and fiber internet access. Located in a unique mixed-use community with a variety of land uses planned for the future, including small business/commercial spaces, tiny houses, cluster housing, and a 10-acre farm. Currently, there are still 7 lots available. The Ecovillage is home to a diverse range of homes, such as timber frame, Deltec, hempcrete, and Net-Zero energy designs—all built with green building principles in mind. This community prioritizes sustainability and wellness in every aspect of life. About the Living Well Ecovillage Spanning 126 acres, the Living Well Ecovillage is bordered by the Deep River and Sandy Creek, offering stunning natural beauty and a tranquil environment. The Ecovillage includes shared spaces like a community garden, a Greenway/Rail Trail, and a neighborhood park. Over 53 acres of natural land buffer the river and creek, preserving the area’s pristine beauty and offering residents a true connection to nature. Your Dream Home Awaits Find your ideal spot to build your sustainable home, surrounded by trees, rock outcroppings, and abundant wild edible plants. Experience breathtaking views and a peaceful setting, perfect for those seeking a slower, more connected way of life. A Community That Supports Wellness The Living Well Ecovillage is not just about space—it’s about community. With access to the Folk School, residents engage in hands-on learning, sustainable practices, and personal growth, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose. Perfectly Located Just
Offer
  • Marketplace
6 years ago

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves Books for Sale

Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselves, Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant introduce Cohousing with stories and pictures of both Danish and American communities. Beautiful photographs and line drawings illustrate the warmly written account of how these communities came to be. Specific information on legal and financial aspects of working with developers, group process, and design issues make this book informative as well as inspiring. This is the book which brought Cohousing to North America. This book is the much prized second edition which has become a rarer and somewhat of a collectors item. Its community case studies were not included in the more recent publication. It preceded Creating Cohousing which is widely available. I acquired 25 cases from a local distributor who closed down. If you would like three or more copies for yourself, to share with your friends or to market your group, please let me know. I would love for them to be made useful and find great homes. Books are paperback (hard copy was not an option at the time from the publisher) all brand new, in Oakland (CA) so could be picked in Oakland or mailed to you. I would very much like to recuperate what I paid which is $10 per book. So, If you would like three or more shipped, I will add the postage, packing and handling fees. I have sold several cases (18 books per case) for $150 per case ($8 per book). I have a little wiggle room on the pricing. Please let me know if you are interested. Use the Send Message button on this page.
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
4 weeks ago

Rooms in Beautiful Location in downtown East Austin

Mountain Laurel House has upcoming room openings on August 1 and September 1 to share our house in central East Austin close to downtown. Rent is $925 per month with $75 to cover your share of the utilities and maintenance. You provide your own food. We enjoy sharing a meal at the dining table at least once a month for fun, to check in on our lives, and talk about housekeeping together. To apply, email donnaleehoffman@gmail.com with subject line Room at Mountain Laurel House. Request the brief application questions and we’ll provide more info and answer your questions. Mountain Laurel House is in a great location! It’s on a green cul de sac, with a wooded lot to the southwest and a green open space to the west. It’s close to the East 11th & Rosewood dining and entertainment district and right across from the Carver Library and a bus stop. We’re in walking distance to downtown Austin, the State Capitol, Huston-Tillotson University and a short bike or bus ride to the University of Texas; and, south or east of here, Lady Bird Lake and Boggy Creek hike and bike trails, park lands, swimming pools, pickleball and basketball courts. I kayak on Town Lake aka Lady Bird Lake or swim just across downtown at Deep Eddy or Barton Springs fresh-water, spring-fed swimming pools. We enjoy sharing a meal at the dining table at least once a month for fun, to check in on our lives, and plan housekeeping together. HEB is a short 5 minute drive east on 7th St. and Whole Foods is about a ten minute walk from here on 5th St. Amenities in the house include a dishwasher, utility room with a clothes washer-dryer and an optional clothesline, high-speed internet, a big dining room table for meals or activities, and a large screen TV for movie nights. The yard has beautiful native wildlife habitat gardens, veggie and herb pots, a large Cedar Elm, two Live Oaks, a fruit-bearing Fig, a Champenelle grape vine, and a Chili pequin. The cul de sac is a large park-like

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