Monday 12 May 2008
Homeswap (Mutual Exchange)
A mutual exchange is when two or more residents swap their homes with their landlord’s permission.
How to go about it
- find someone to exchange with by registering on a national home swapping scheme (ask Customer Services for details). They can be a council or housing association tenant (secure or assured) anywhere in the UK.
- keep an eye on our quarterly newsletter – we publish details of residents keen to exchange their homes.
- ask Customer Services (0800 731 2030) or your housing officer for a mutual exchange form. Fill it in and send it back to us.
Any landlords involved must reply within 42 days of you requesting an exchange. If they don’t, you have the legal right to carry on as if approval had been given.
You will not get approval if:
- either home is under a court order for possession
- either home is under a demoted tenancy order or the landlord has applied to court for this order
- there are rent arrears
- either landlord is taking legal action for a breach of tenancy such as antisocial behaviour
- the property either resident wishes to move to is much bigger (by two or more bedrooms) than they need or is not big enough, and would result in overcrowding
- the exchange would go against the landlord’s purposes
- the home has been adapted for a disabled person and the new resident has no need for adaptations.
Before we give approval, a housing officer and area surveyor will inspect your home to see if it needs any repairs or has damage which you are responsible for putting right.
Once both landlords have approved the application you can:
- agree a moving date with the resident you are swapping with
- arrange to sign Deeds of Assignment - legal documents that both residents must sign with both landlords.
For further details and Information, please ask Customer Services for our Mutual Exchange Policy and Mutual Exchange - Guide For Tenants leaflet.
