A tenancy exchange is when you swap your home legally with another council or housing association customer. It is often called a mutual exchange.
To do a mutual exchange, you need to:
- Find someone to swap homes with
- Get written permission from us (BCHA)
- Complete all required legal paperwork.
You can swap homes with any council or housing association customer in the UK, provided you both have the right to mutual exchange and that both parties wish to swap properties.
Swap locally or to another part of the country
The principle can work between any locations or even all in the same street. You are not restricted to your current landlord as all social housing landlords are required to allow a mutual exchange, as long as you meet the necessary criteria. The key is to ensure that everyone has looked around the properties involved and is happy to move.
Swaps involving more than one property
You can either home swap with one customer, known as a direct exchange, or you could try and find a multi-way swap. There are no limits to how many people can be involved in a home swap chain, however the more you have in the chain, the more complicated it can get. There is always a chance that someone may change their mind.
Multi way mutual exchanges are becoming increasingly popular as they give you more ways of getting into the property you want, so don't dismiss them because you think they might be more complicated.
Am I eligible?
You can only swap your home if:
- You aren’t in debt with your rent.
- The other person’s landlord is happy for the exchange to happen.
- You aren’t moving to a property where you will be overcrowded or have more space than you need.
- You get our permission in writing and there is no ongoing legal action relating to your tenancy.
There may be other conditions depending on your type of tenancy. If you are unsure whether you are eligible, please contact us to see if you are able to exchange.
HomeSwapper
BCHA is signed up to HomeSwapper, a national register of social housing customers looking to swap homes. The service can be accessed online at www.homeswapper.co.uk. If you would like to move by mutual exchange, you will need to register your details on the HomeSwapper website. If you need any help with this process, please contact your Tenancy Officer.
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