My Landlord approved me to exchange my council house in Croydon

I managed to swap with another exchanger from Luton. My landlord approved my exchange and I swapped within 9 weeks! I cannot believe how straightforward swapping homes was. The hardest part was organising the removals.

My council landlord in Croydon approved the exchange through an easy online mutual exchange application form. I could have looked anywhere across the UK to live, as long as I could find an exchanger from that area. We didn't need a multi-swap chain, as we were lucky.

Their housing association landlord was happy to accept us. We had no rent arrears and no damage needing repairs before we could swap. Once we had agreed what we were leaving and what we were taking, we photographed each other's houses and gardens, and then we swapped.

What happens when you apply to your landlord

A mutual exchange needs the go-ahead from both landlords, so each tenant applies to their own. Most councils and housing associations now have an online form, like the one used here. After you apply, expect three things:

• A rent account check. Landlords look at whether your rent is up to date. They can make approval conditional on you clearing any arrears first.
• A home inspection. An officer visits to check the condition of your home. Damage you caused, or alterations you made without permission, usually have to be put right before the swap goes ahead.
• A check that the new home suits your household. A landlord can refuse if the home would be much too big for you, or if it has been adapted for a disabled person and nobody in your household needs those adaptations.

Council landlords must give you their decision in writing within 42 days of your application, and housing associations normally work to the same timescale. They can only refuse on the grounds set out in law, and they have to tell you which ground applies.

Council to housing association: what changes

In this swap, a council tenant moved into a housing association home. When you exchange, you usually take over the other tenant's tenancy, so your tenancy type, rent and landlord all change to theirs. Before you sign, ask the other landlord:

• what type of tenancy you will have, and whether it is a lifetime or fixed-term tenancy;
• what the rent and any service charges will be;
• whether any rights you have now, such as the Right to Buy, will change.

How it can happen in 9 weeks

Nine weeks from finding a match to moving in is quick, and it came down to being ready. Both households had clear rent accounts and homes in good order, so there was nothing for either landlord to chase. If you are hoping for a quick swap:

• check your rent account is clear before you start looking;
• fix any damage and ask permission for any changes you've made;
• take good, honest photos, so the other household knows exactly what they are moving into;
• agree in writing what is being left behind, such as carpets, curtains or a shed;
• book removals as soon as both landlords approve, because that is the part that takes organising.

Croydon is a busy place for social housing. At 31 March 2025 there were 8,559 households on Croydon Council's housing register, and the council let 542 of its homes during the year, including 30 through mutual exchange. With a waiting list that long, a swap is often the quickest way in or out.

Thinking about Croydon? Read what it's like to live in Croydon, then see our landlord profile of London Borough of Croydon, with its tenant satisfaction scores, or browse every place guide.