r/Glasgow Tools

Just officially moved to Glasgow (partner is Glaswegian), and while I can’t help on the letting agency front, my partner and I do let his home on AirBNB when we’re traveling (which we are right now, as we’re back in the US wrapping things up). We have been booked solid since we started hosting—UGlasgow has been telling international students (some of whom have been our guests) not to come unless they already have accommodations settled. We had inquiries from a few students who wanted to book for a short stay, expecting to find longer term accommodations once they landed:could view properties in person, and heard from them again (after our calendar filled with other guests) asking if we could cancel new reservations others had made because they still hadn’t found a place to stay 😬 That is all to say, I’d expect it to take more time than you’re estimating, and to cost more money than you’re estimating, especially if you need to be in a specific place/location due to your wife’s uni schedule. We literally only have a two week window from the middle/end of October that isn’t booked.

FWIW, when I was just a tourist in Scotland a few years ago, I didn’t have the right to rent or work so letting agencies wouldn’t touch me (I’m a self-employed creative in the arts, well known in my industry) and so I did just have to spend several months hopping from AirBNB to AirBNB. It wasn’t cheap, but it did help me figure out where I wanted to live, hooked me up with super helpful hosts who became friends and friends who became landlords which would have helped me get my foot in the door even if I hadn’t met my partner. It’s not the worst way to get to know Glasgow/it’s surrounding areas, even though it isn’t cheap.

Good luck to you, and I hope you find a good, solid place to settle at least in the short term!