Moving out of your home

A mutual exchange allows you to swap your home with another council or housing association tenant anywhere in the UK.

You will need our permission, but we will not withhold this unreasonably. 

You cannot complete a mutual exchange if:

• your home is adapted for a person with special needs and nobody in the new tenant's household has those needs
• the home you want to move to is much larger than your household needs
• the home you want to move to is too small for your household and you would be overcrowded
• possession proceedings have commenced for a breach of your tenancy conditions
• your rent account is in arrears
• your tenancy is an introductory tenancy

If you have any questions regarding mutual exchanges, please contact your housing manager.

What you need to consider before completing a Mutual exchange

You should to consider the following before you complete a mutual exchange:

1. Please be aware that exchange partners can change their mind and cancel an exchange process up to the point that a deed of assignment has been signed or tenancy agreements have been surrendered and new tenancy agreements issued. 
2. It is illegal for you or the other tenant to charge a fee as part of the tenancy exchange. You could be evicted if you charge or receive any money to swap your home.
3. If you move to another landlord your rights may change so check this first. If you move to a Housing Association property you will not have the Right to Buy. 
4. You should seek legal advice prior to completing a mutual exchange to ensure that you fully understand your rights. This is because the type of tenancy you are granted maybe different to the type of tenancy you currently hold.

Finding an exchange partner

There are several housing mobility schemes and mutual exchange services that we work with. Some require you to register and search for properties online. 

Here is a list of services and schemes that you can use for a mutual exchange:

Housing Moves

HomefinderUK

Seaside and Country Homes

Homeswapper

Applying for a mutual exchange

Please complete the mutual exchange application form when you have found a potential mutual exchange through one of our housing mobility schemes. Before completing the form, you should have contacted the person you would like to swap with and should have viewed each other’s property.

You should also take the time to carefully read through the Mutual Exchange guidance at the front of the application form before you complete the application form. 

If you hold a joint tenancy, both tenants are required to sign the application form.

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