Home swap website gives information to tenants looking for a council house swap

General information website http://www.homeswap.org.uk/ provides free information for tenants who are looking to mutual exchange.

Tenants can find information about how to find their home swap, how to attract swappers and details of the mutual exchange process.

There is also information on job hunting, schools, finance and grants, removal serivces and some handy hints and tips when moving with children and pets.

Free Home Swap Website welcomed by Council House Tenants

We recently asked Council House Tenants across the UK who have used House Exchange what they though of the website. Here is what they had to say.

What a great service and a really easy way to find a mutual exchange
Elaine Yule, Aberdeen City Council Tenant

House Exchange is a good thing to have as it does mean that you don’t have to wait long like you would on a normal waiting list.
Fatuma Ahmed, London Borough of Southwark Tenant

A fantastic website with all the tools to make peoples' dream house come true.
Syeda Parvin, Leeds City Council Tenant

Its a good way to find a house
H King, Great Yarmouth Council

I find it is very easy to use and the 3 way options makes it so much easier to find suitable houses
Peter, Waveney District Council Tenant

The  site is great  I had wanted to move for a while so when I heard about it I registered  I got a great home swap straight away with a luvley
Lynne Ormsby, Leeds City Council Tenant

Very easy to search and use. So glad to have a free service!
Jo, Norwich City Council

If you are looking for a home swap - take a look at http://www.houseexchange.org.uk/ It is free to register if your landlord is partner.

Free mutual exchange list? Has your MP written to your landlord?

Help us get social housing tenants moving. We are asking MPs to write to social housing landlords in the their areas to find out if they are signed up to House Exchange or other mutual exchange site

• It is estimated up to 700,000 social housing residents want to move house but many are unable to do so - with around 9,500 wanting to move for employment reasons
• Circle Anglia's mutual exchange service - House Exchange - helps improve mobility and saves the economy money - helping thousands of people to move every year

How can you help with the debate?

• We are asking MPs to write to social housing landlords in the their areas to find out if they are signed up to House Exchange or other mutual exchange site. Email thebighousingsqueeze@circleanglia.org for a sample letter
• Search the National Housing Federation's Directory of Members and the National Federation of ALMOS Directory of Members to identify the local housing providers in your area
• We are also asking MPs to recommend http://www.houseexchange.org.uk/ to tenants who are looking to move
• Read more about our media campaign
• Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/circleanglia
• Find out more about House Exchange

House Exchange - Home Swap for three tenants

Being unable to move from a house that you have outgrown, is too big for you, or is no longer where you want to be can be frustrating. Three Norfolk women all found the home of their dreams when they registered on House Exchange via their landlords, Wherry Housing, Broadland Housing and Norwich City Council.

Lulu Rushfirth wished that she had a bigger garden for her two children to play in as living in the city meant that she couldn't let them play out the front of her house.
Madeleine Johannes on the other hand longed for city living. She had lived in Fakenham most of her life, but wanted to live in the hustle and bustle of the city. Madeleine found that there was more job opportunities in Norwich, but didn't want to have to commute to the city.
Glenda Wills lived in the sleepy village of Swanington on the outskirts of Norwich. She wanted to move to Fakenham to be near her family.
All three women wanted to move house so they contacted their landlords and as each was signed up to House Exchange, they were able to undertake a three way swap which enabled each to find the home of their dreams. All three organisations worked together to move all three families within eight weeks, quicker than a standard house move.
“I have a 10 year old and a seven year old and there was just no space for them to play outside,” says Lulu, who lived on Bull Close in the city. “I have always lived in the city, but I longed to live in a place that would be safer for my children.”
Madeleine added: “I loved my house in Fakenham, but I just hated the location. My sister lives in Norwich so I wanted to live nearer the city.”
“I've heard that sometimes these house swaps can involve six or more people and so I thought that we were in for a long wait before we could actually move,” says Madeleine. “However in just a matter of weeks I found Glenda online and her criteria matched my house in Fakenham.”
“There are no surveys or financial hold ups when you swap houses, so it was just a case of filling in the forms and then waiting for each association to complete the swap,” says Lulu.

“I was quite amazed at how quickly I got to move, so much so that I only had six days to pack!” Says Madeleine: “I love living in the city as there are so many more job opportunities around here. I also love the fact that I no longer live on an estate and that I'm close to lots of shops and my sister. The little courtyard out the back is great as I hate gardening so at least I don't have to mow the lawn!
Glenda says: “It was an easy swap and I love where I live now. When I lived in Swanington there were no shops nearby and I had to rely on the bus as I cannot drive. Now I can walk into town and do my shopping without having to rely on anyone.”

Overcrowded housing stock - House Exchange helps Landlords

National mutual exchange service House Exchange aids the mobility of 1000’s of tenants every month. We strive to ensure that we meet the needs of both landlords and tenants. In response to feedback, we launched occupancy management system Right Connections last month.

 

• Instantly see figures of under occupied and overcrowded households
• On screen report table shows figures by current size and needed size
• Click-thru to see exactly who these people are and their full details
• Match under occupiers with overcrowders in your area or across the UK
• Run searches to help your tenants move
• Keep notes for each tenants needs
• Full report facility, on Screen & Downloadable reports included as standard

House Exchange already offers exceptional value for money to landlords with annual subscription fees starting from £1000 per annum.

For a limited time new partners joining House Exchange will receive Right Connections free for the first year.

To find out more about House Exchange and Right Connections contact Kim by email kim@houseexchange.org.uk fill in the form on our website

House Exchange found for tenant in Leeds

I have been on the housing waiting list for several years without any luck. i found my perfect home on the house exchange after only 5 months. thank you for a great service

Barbara, Leeds

 

As Barbara is a Leeds City Council tenant she was able to register for free at http://www.houseexchange.org.uk/ once she had registered she was able to see all of the other people who were looking for a home swap. After years of searching for somewhere suitable, she found someone to swap homes with.

 

From the date she registered on House Exchange it took her just 5 months to mutual exchange and actually move into her new home.

 

Well done Barbara!