Moving home option | What is a mutual exchange?
Looking to move because you need more (or less) space, moving for work or to be closer to family. Have you looked at a mutual exchange?
A mutual exchange is a home swap between two or more social housing tenants. It’s a great option for social housing tenants who can’t access or don’t want to wait for the normal Home Choice allocation process. It gives you more control and means you’re able to choose a home that suits your needs better in a place you want to live.
Can I swap my home?
If you have a secure or assured tenancy you could have the right to a mutual exchange. If you or the other tenant has a history of antisocial behaviour, rent arrears, or other tenancy breaches, the exchange may be denied.
Do I have to swap in my local area?
You can swap homes with ANY other council or housing association tenant that lives ANYWHERE in the UK, so your swap doesn’t have to be in the area managed by Westward Housing. ALL social housing landlords can allow mutual exchanges.
When you swap your home with another tenant, you’re taking on all the responsibilities of that new home. This will mean that you’re taking on a different tenancy agreement with possibly different clauses. You should also consider:
- Bills and expenses. Rent, service charges, council tax, and any other outgoings, will likely be different. Travel costs to work, local amenities, and even the heating system in your new home could be different, and more expensive.
- There may be differences in the succession arrangements of the new home, meaning that you may not be able to pass on the tenancy to family members, where you can in your current home.
- Property condition. We’ll inspect our property, but you should ensure yourself that the property is suitable for your needs (adaptation, proximity to schools, GP surgeries, bus stops and other amenities, etc). If there are repairs needed, they may be your responsibility.
How do you swap?
We are registered with HomeSwapper who provide a mutual exchange service for social housing tenants. This is where you can search for possible swaps, get in touch with other tenants and arrange viewings until you find the perfect new home.
There are no costs to pay to register once our account is approved by Westward.
The mutual exchange process
Once you have found the right property to swap with the exchange process can start. Whilst we appreciate that once you have made the decision to move you may want to progress your move quickly, please note that we have up to 42 days (six weeks) to make a decision on your application, this will include inspecting your property and obtaining references. In addition to this, once an approval is given, it can then take up to a further four weeks to arrange or complete any necessary safety checks to your home, e.g. electrical and gas inspections, and to complete the new tenancy paperwork.
Once you have confirmation of your exchange date you can then book your removals.