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Mutual council home exchanges

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If you live in a housing association property or a council home, you can swap your home. This is known as a mutual exchange.

How to mutually exchange properties

You will need to find someone suitable to swap with, for example, a suitable sized property that does not leave them overcrowded. You can exchange to a property that has one bedroom more than your assessed need.

Use our online form to request a mutual exchange application form.

If you are on benefits, we will contact you to discuss your affordability.

As part of the process, a surveyor will visit your home to check if it needs any repairs or alterations. We may ask that these are made before you continue.

By law there is a statutory period of 42 days where the housing provider has to let the applicant know whether the exchange is successful, delayed or cancelled.

Once references are collected and all housing providers are in agreement, the exchange will be confirmed to all parties and a sign-up can be done.

Homes swap websites

Homeswapper is a national home swap service for social tenants in rented property who want a house swap, flat swap or want to exchange their council property.

Exchange Locata is a website for social housing tenants looking to swap council houses, housing association homes or flats online.

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