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Select Move's house swap

Three houses made out of grass and wood with solar panels on the rough - shutterstock_105757901

Select Move's Mutual Exchanges

A mutual exchange is when two or more council or housing association tenants, in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, who occupy permanent self-contained accommodation, have a legal right to exchange their tenancies under section 92 of the Housing Act 1985.

  • Each tenant must move into their exchange partner's property
  • A tenant cannot exchange into an empty property
  • You must not exchange your property without our permission
  • A mutual exchange ends your tenancy and a new tenancy is created for you.

You can exchange with;

  • A tenant of a housing association;
  • A tenant of another council.

You can search online for a mutual exchange by using Select Move's property search page and selecting mutual exchange. You will then need to contact the applicant you wish to exchange with directly. You can do this through their contact details on the advert.

You can create a mutual exchange advert for your property by logging into Select Move account and completing an application form for mutual exchange.

If you are not registered you will need to register.

What Happens next?

Once you have completed the application form, this will then be verified by a member of staff. You must ensure you put your contact details onto your advert or other potential exchange tenants will not be able to contact you.

Once you have decided who you would like to exchange with, and have viewed each others properties you can then complete the applications form and return it to your area housing office. You need to complete this to apply for permission to do a mutual exchange.

What to include in the application

To improve the chance of finding someone to swap with, it helps to give the following information;

  • The type of home you live in (such as a house or flat);
  • Which area, or street, the home is in;
  • Marketing Information - Any special features that might make the property attractive to other tenants (such as a new kitchen, garage, big garden, close to school, close to GP surgery); Anything else that is important to the household.
  • What type of home is wanted, and the number of bedrooms needed;
  • The area(s) that would be considered;
  • Adding photos can also enhance your advertisement.

What happens once I've found someone to swap with?

Once you have found someone to exchange with, a Select Move officer will visit you to inspect any alterations you have made and will make sure that your property is in good condition. They will also check your rent account. If you have any rent arrears (missed rent payments), you may not be able to move straight away.

If you want to exchange with the tenant of another council or registered social landlord, Select Move will have to provide a written reference for your tenancy to the other landlord. The other council or registered social landlord will do the same for their tenant.

Other conditions that you should meet before the exchange may be allowed to go ahead include the following;

  • You cannot have any rent arrears
  • You cannot have been or be causing a nuisance or anti-social behaviour.
  • You must have let us make a gas and electricity safety check.
  • You must not have made any alterations without permission.

Select Move may refuse an application if;

  • There is a court order against you on any grounds, including rent arrears
  • There is a current notice seeking possession in force
  • Your proposed new property is too big for your needs
  • Your proposed new property is too small for your needs resulting in statutory overcrowding
  • The property is specifically designed or adapted for the elderly and/or disabled and you do not qualify for such housing
  • You may not be eligible for this property under the current housing policy
  • Your current tenancy is demoted or licensed.