If your current home no longer meets your needs, you can apply to swap it with another tenant. This is called a mutual exchange.
You might want to swap if you:
- Need to downsize or move to a smaller home
- Need a larger home for your family
- Want to move to a different area for work or personal reasons
- Want to live closer to facilities like schools, transport or support services
You can swap with:
- Another tenant who rents from us
- A tenant from another housing association or local council – anywhere in the UK
How to start your home swap
Swapping your home is easier than you might think. Here’s how to get started:
All swaps are subject to eligibility and approval.
Step: 1
Tell people you’re looking
Spread the word on social media, by talking to neighbours, or by creating a listing on the House Exchange website.
Step: 2
Agree a swap
Find another tenant who’s also looking to move.
Step: 3
Let us know
Speak to your housing services co-ordinator and we’ll guide you through the process.
What we check before a swap
When you apply for a mutual exchange, we’ll carry out a few checks to make sure everything’s in order:
- Your rent account – we’ll check it’s up to date
- Your eligibility – we’ll confirm you meet the criteria for the new home
- Your current home – we’ll check its condition
Important things to know
- You’ll be swapping tenancy agreements as well as homes – your rights may change
- You must not move until we’ve given you written permission
- You can create an advert on the House Exchange website so other tenants can see your home. You can also browse other homes available for swapping
Frequently asked questions
Here are some common things people ask about mutual exchange:
Am I eligible for a mutual exchange?
You must have been a customer for at least 12 months and you should not be in breach of your tenancy agreement.
This can include anything from rent arrears and anti-social behaviour, to damage to your property.
Why hasn’t my advert been approved?
If you choose to use the House Exchange website, we need to check your advert. We will help but only customers who meet the eligibility criteria will have their advert authorised.
You might not qualify if:
- you have a starter tenancy
- you have an active Notice Seeking Possession or other court order against you
- you’re in rent arrears. We can consent to the exchange on the condition that any rent you owe is cleared before the exchange takes place.
- you have breached your tenancy, for example damaged your property, have been involved in anti-social behaviour or made unofficial alterations to your home.
What if I haven’t had any interest?
You might be able to include additional information or add further photographs of your home to increase interest in your advert. To discuss how your advert could be improved, please contact us.
As well as tenants being able to bid on your property on the House Exchange website, you can also find a match by searching and bidding on other mutual exchange adverts.
We would also recommend sharing your home on social media and through word of mouth.
What happens if the landlord rejects the swap?
Once you’ve agreed a home swap with another tenant, both landlords must approve the exchange before it goes ahead.
Both landlords will assess the swap and if it has been refused, you’ll receive written confirmation with the reason.
Will swapping affect my tenancy type?
Yes, depending on who you swap your home with, your type of tenancy, the rent you pay and service charges due may be affected.
Different tenancies offer different tenancy conditions, so swapping your home might mean:
- The rent you currently pay may be more or less than the rent of the person you are swapping with.
- You should check both rent and tenancy conditions before deciding to swap homes.
- It is your responsibility to make sure that you can afford the rent in the new property.
- The type of tenancy you are granted may be different to the type of tenancy you currently hold if you are to swapping with someone else.
- This means you may be subject to different tenancy terms and lengths.
- Please take advice on the new tenancy terms thoroughly before agreeing to move.
- If you move to another landlord your rights may change.
- You should seek legal advice prior to completing a mutual exchange to ensure that you fully understand your rights.
Will it affect the right to succession?
The right to succession is personal to the individual tenant and this right transfers with the tenant when they move in a mutual exchange.
No new succession rights are created as a result of a mutual exchange and if the incoming tenant has previously succeeded to a tenancy no further successions would be permitted under the tenancy.
Need help?
If you need help or want to talk it through, just get in touch with your housing services co-ordinator.