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Exchange your Council home

A mutual exchange is another name for a home swap. Most Council tenants have the right to exchange their home with another tenant of a housing association or Council.
You have to get permission from us and from the other tenant’s landlord, before you move, but we will not refuse your request unless we have a good reason. If you want to move home, it may be quicker to arrange an exchange, rather than wait for transfer. The Council has a pdf icon Mutual Exchange policy to deal with this issue.
How does a mutual exchange work?
1. You find someone who wants to swap with you
2. You arrange to view each other’s homes
3. Both you and the tenant you want to swap with complete one of our mutual exchange request forms. You then return both forms to us. The other tenant has to also request permission from their own landlor
4. We will inspect your home and ask for a tenancy report from the other tenant’s landlord.
5. We have six weeks to tell you whether we agree to your swap, but we usually let you know within 28 days
6. If both landlords agree, you will need to agree a date that you both want to move. We will then arrange for you and the other tenant to complete the paperwork.
Remember, it is very important that you don’t move until you have written permission and both tenants have completed the paperwork to assign your tenancy.
You will have to meet a number of conditions before your exchange can go ahead, and these include:
  • Not owing us any money for rent, rechargeable repairs
  • Doing all repairs that are your responsibility, including any damage caused by you or other members of your household
  • Leaving your garden tidy and free from rubbish.
Other points to remember:
  • You must not offer money to bring about an exchange.
  • The Council cannot get involved in any private arrangements for the purchase of items, for example: carpets, curtains, furniture.

Finding someone to swap with

There are a number of ways to find someone to swap with:
  • Details from you local Contact Centre
  • Advertising in local newsagents or shops
  • Advertising in local newspapers.

Reasons for refusing permission

Before you apply for an exchange, please read this section carefully. We will not let your mutual exchange go ahead if:
  • We have started possession proceedings or we have an order against you for breaking your tenancy agreement.
  • You have rent arrears at the time of the exchange.
Or, if the property you have found is:
  • Too big or too small for you.
  • Adapted for a tenant with disabilities and you do not need these adaptations.
  • Not let on a secure or assured tenancy by another Council or housing association.
  • Normally let to certain groups of people, for example, the elderly or those with special support needs and you don’t meet these restrictions.

Last Updated on Thursday, 01 July 2010 09:04

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