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Our specialist consultants recruit for all roles within the housing sector. This includes social and residential development, with clients encompassing housing associations, local authorities, residential developers, and contractors. We can provide both permanent and temporary workforce solutions for your housing projects from trades to director level. Whether that's for a property services manager, site/project manager or head of development.
Ardmore House, 40 George Street, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH2 2LE
+ 62 other offices
Peace Recruitment recruits permanent and temporary Construction, Property and Engineering staff. Specific fields they cater to include Architecture, Energy & Utilities and Quantity Surveying. They have vacancies for all levels of expertise, from Site Labourers to Technical Personnel to Executives. Their operations began in 2009 and they have partnered with CBRE and Square and Crescent Ltd, among others.
2, WASHINGTON COURT 6 WASHINGTON LN, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH11 2HA
Hays Construction and Property is a specialist agency that provides workforces for the Construction and Property sectors. They offer permanent, temporary, and contract opportunities for roles such as Senior Planning Officer, Senior Quantity Surveyor, Senior Site Manager, Preconstruction Manager, Project Escort, Painter, and Labourer.
2nd Floor, Castle Street, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH2 3AH
+ 34 other offices
Lothian has a broad pay picture, with Edinburgh setting a high bar and the surrounding districts close behind. Lettings negotiators often sit around £22,000 to £28,000 with bonuses, property managers tend to land between £26,000 and £35,000, commercial surveyors track £35,000 to £55,000, and facilities managers can reach £40,000 to £55,000, senior asset roles climb higher where portfolios are complex. Temp agencies quote day or hourly pay rates that reflect seasonality and location, for example £13 to £18 per hour for experienced property administrators, and higher brackets for interim managers. Recruitment fees vary by search type, many employment firms work on a percentage of starting salary for permanent hires, retained executive search is staged, and temp staffing agencies price via charge rates that cover pay, pension, holiday and margin. Always ask for clarity on agency costs, rebate periods, and any transfer terms before you sign.
For technical and professional roles, RICS status is a common request, property management teams value IRPM or Propertymark qualifications, and facilities posts often ask for IOSH or NEBOSH. In Scotland, letting agents must be on the Scottish Letting Agent Register and follow the Letting Agent Code of Practice, housing bodies may seek PVG or DBS style checks for frontline posts, and factors need to work in line with the Property Factors Register. Recruiters and recruitment consultants who know these frameworks can screen for licence numbers, training records, and compliance paperwork, which helps local employers reduce risk and keep onboarding smooth.
Lothian is more than the city centre. East Lothian brings coastal towns like Musselburgh, Haddington and Tranent, Midlothian has Dalkeith and Penicuik, West Lothian covers Livingston, Bathgate and Broxburn, each patch has its own housing mix and commercial stock. Edinburgh Park, the city centre, Leith and the Waterfront have steady property management and FM demand, the M8 corridor pulls logistics and business park assets, and the A720, A1 and ScotRail links widen the commuter catchment. Property recruitment agencies in Lothian understand these micro markets, so you can target candidates who know local landlords, tenant profiles, build to rent schemes, and service charge cycles.
The market blends residential lettings, estate agency sales, purpose built student accommodation, social housing and build to rent, along with commercial offices, retail, industrial estates and mixed use sites. Local employers span independents and national brands, housing associations, local authorities, student operators, managing agents, and facilities services providers. Staffing agencies with live roles across these settings can help you hire staff who handle ASTs, Scottish secure tenancies, HMO licensing, service charge budgeting, CAFM systems, and contractor oversight, which keeps buildings safe, compliant and well run.
Recruiters in this area place property managers, assistant property managers, lettings negotiators, senior negotiators, branch managers, tenancy administrators, maintenance coordinators, residential block managers, commercial surveyors, valuation and agency surveyors, asset managers, FM coordinators, soft and hard services managers, HMO officers, housing officers, and compliance leads. Executive search teams step in for senior appointments where track record and stakeholder management matter.
The labour market is tight for experienced property managers and block managers who can balance resident queries, contractor control, and budgeting. Front of house and admin turnover can push workload onto managers, so retention plans matter, simple steps like clear job scopes, training budgets, and realistic portfolios can steady teams. Many businesses in central Edinburgh compete for multilingual candidates for student and international tenant hubs, West Lothian and Midlothian roles can face car travel needs where public transport is thinner, which affects attraction. Using recruitment agencies in Lothian who hold ready shortlists for temporary, permanent and contract work can ease spikes, and help you find employees who will stay.
Senior residential block managers with IRPM or Propertymark, commercial property managers with service charge depth, and maintenance supervisors with both client side and contractor experience are regular pinch points. Surveyors with agency and valuation exposure who can cover both landlord and tenant work are in short supply, as are FM managers confident with statutory compliance across multi site portfolios. Employment firms that keep warm pipelines and know pay rates across the boroughs can shorten lead times.
Candidates often start as administrators or lettings assistants, move to negotiator or assistant property manager, then progress into property manager or branch roles. From there, pathways lead to portfolio lead, asset manager, surveyor training for those who secure the right qualifications, or FM leadership for people with strong site delivery. Recruiters can map these steps, guide jobseekers to training routes, and match ambition with the right employer culture.
The summer period brings student lets and renewals, quarter ends drive commercial activity, and winter raises maintenance demand. Temp agencies can stabilise teams during these peaks, executive search can prepare leadership moves ahead of financial year shifts, and recruitment consultants can time campaigns to match notice periods and graduation dates.
Do I need a letting agent on the Scottish register to hire for my lettings team?
Yes, if you are carrying out letting agency work in Scotland, registration and compliance apply.
What contract types do property recruitment agencies in Lothian handle?
Most cover temporary, permanent and contract work, with short notice cover available for front line posts.
What are typical recruitment fees for permanent roles?
Percentage fees vary by level and volume, ask for a clear schedule of recruitment fees, any discounts, and warranty terms.
Can candidates register with an agency for future roles?
Yes, candidates and jobseekers can register with an agency, upload documents, and set salary alerts.
Where are the busiest spots for property hiring?
Edinburgh city centre, Leith, Edinburgh Park, Kirkton Campus in Livingston, and business parks along the M8 and City Bypass see steady demand.
How can local employers improve retention?
Set sensible portfolio sizes, support training like IRPM or Propertymark, and review pay and benefits against current pay rates.
Looking to brief property recruitment agencies in Lothian today, or ready to register with an agency as a candidate, the right recruiter can make hiring feel simple, from first shortlist to signed offer.