Our structure
As Scotland’s tenants and community union, Living Rent is organised from the bottom up. We build branches - usually in a neighbourhood - where people organise to take action on local issues.
Branch members elect their leadership, a committee who is accountable to local members and to the wider vision of the union. When there are enough local branches in a town or region, they form a city or regional forum to coordinate their campaigns and actions.
Branches work together on national campaigns, through the National Forum. The National Committee, which is composed of members elected by the Annual General Meeting as well as co-opted members, is legally responsible for the organisation and ensures that the organisation respects its values, the strategic directions given by its members and that it has good governance.
We have active branches across the country. You can check out the events near you and get in touch if you want to build your own branch.
How we are funded
As a union, we function through a dues model: our members support us by contributing a monthly financial due and this means that we are accountable to members and put members' interests first. We feel very strongly about being democratic and member-run: your member dues keep us working for you, our members.
Trade unions have also supported our work by affiliating to Living Rent. We are grateful for such support and if you want to ask your union branch to affiliate, see our affiliation page or contact us!
We also seek external funding to support our activities and enable the growth of the union.
National Committee
Every year, members elect the national committee during Living Rent's annual general meeting. The 2026-2027 committee is:
-
Chair: Ruth Gilbert, Govanhill
-
Secretary: Colm Birmingham/ MacFheórais, Shawlands
-
Treasurer: Catherine Eadie, Granton
-
Membership Officers: Sarah Bisset, Leith; Isabella Copplestone, Partick
-
Staff liaison: Marcella McIlroy, Partick
-
Political Officer: Eilidh Keay, Leith
-
Trade Union liaison (co-opted role): Stuart Frankland, Dennistoun
-
Cross-team support: Ben Paterson, Leith; Rhys Forret, Govanhill
-
National Strategic Forum Chair (co-opted role): Cameron Beattie, Govanhill
-
National Strategic Forum Secretary: AC Le Bescond, Govanhill
Staff
We currently have a small number of staff who work alongside elected leaders to support the union's growth:
National team
-
National Organiser: Emma Saunders
-
Operations Manager: Jon Black
-
Fundraising and Administrative Assistant: Niamh McNulty
Membership team
-
Senior Membership Organiser: James Roberts
-
Membership Organiser: Dylan McAllister
Communications team
-
Head of Communications: Rufus Bouverie
-
Communications Organiser (Glasgow): Maz Tambini
-
Communications Organiser (Edinburgh and Wider Scotland): Colleen Bell
Glasgow and West Coast:
-
Glasgow City Head Organiser: Sonja Coquelin
-
Glasgow City Organiser: Levi Mitchell
-
Community Organiser (Springburn): Tilly Mason
-
Community Organiser (Bridgeton): Cal Stables
Edinburgh and East Coast:
-
Edinburgh City Head Organiser: Ewan McLennan
-
Member Defence Organiser: Izzi Brannen
-
Community Organiser (Newington Meadows) - Abbey Weil
-
Community Organiser (Granton) - Mairi Strong
Wider Scotland:
-
Wider Scotland Head Organiser: Sinéad McNulty
-
Community Organiser (Dundee): Erin Thomas
-
Community Organiser (Highlands and Islands): Louis McIntosh
-
Community Organiser (Inverness): Lauren Pyott
If you want to join our team and support the union’s growth, you can see our Work For Living Rent page. It is updated when we have new positions available.
We are a Living Wage employer.
Acorn international
Across the world, tenant and community unions are fighting for this common vision. We are part of ACORN International, an international movement that shares knowledge, builds collective power and mobilises in solidarity.
ACORN International is building a movement across the world to take on the challenges facing poor and working-class people in developing economies and polities.
Acorn affiliated groups build community organisations in these countries to mobilise poor and working-class residents to fight for their rights and build democratic culture and institutions.
Through local membership-based organisations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, ACORN International fights for the basic rights of people – better security, health, housing, education, and employment conditions, and a more responsive, truly representative government.
International finance’s demand for profits drives it to exploit all corners of the world with no regard for society or the environment – we must be ready to challenge it.
You can learn more and support the work of ACORN International here.
