If your current home isn’t right for you, a mutual exchange could help you move sooner.
A mutual exchange is when you swap your home with another social housing tenant, whether they live in a Southway home or one from another social housing provider. It's a simple and flexible way to find a home that suits your needs better, without waiting on the housing register.
Why swap your home?
People choose mutual exchange for lots of reasons.
You might want to:
- Move closer to family, work or school
- Move to a bigger or smaller home
- Live in a different area
- Find a home that better fits your needs
Who can apply?
This depends on your tenancy:
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Most tenants with a secure or assured tenancy can apply
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If you’re a starter tenant, you usually need to twelve months before you can swap
If you’re not sure, speak to your Housing Officer, who can share more about mutual exchange and offer you advice.
How it works
You can register and advertise your home, and search for other tenants looking to swap, using an online home swap service like HomeSwapper.
Once you've found a home you're interested in, you can speak to the tenant who lives there, match and then view each other's homes.
Once you’ve found someone to swap with, you’ll both need to apply to your landlord. Then we’ll:
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Check your tenancy and rent account
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Make sure the homes are suitable
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Carry out inspections
Once we have everything we need, we aim to give you a decision within 42 days.
What to think about
A mutual exchange is your decision, so take your time. Before agreeing:
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Visit the home and check it carefully
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Remember you’ll be taking on that home and tenancy
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Check the rent and any costs
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Make sure your happy with the home’s condition
Important
Please do not book removals or set a moving day until you have formal approval from Southway.
Need help?
We’re here to support you! We can help if you don’t have internet access or need help using HomeSwapper, or we can offer you advice if you want to know if mutual exchange is the right choice for you. Just speak to your Housing Officer or get in touch using our Contact Us page.