Mutual exchange FAQs

A mutual exchange is when two or more council or housing association tenants swap homes and take over each other's tenancies, with both landlords' written permission. There is no waiting list and no bidding: you choose the home, and the other tenant chooses yours.

It is how most social tenants move to a bigger or smaller home, or to a different area. See how mutual exchange works step by step.

Most tenants with a secure, assured or fixed-term (flexible) tenancy from a council or housing association can apply.

You usually cannot swap on an introductory, starter or demoted tenancy until it becomes a full tenancy, and the right does not cover private renting, most shared ownership or temporary accommodation. Your tenancy agreement says which type you have, or your landlord can tell you.

Yes. Council tenants can swap with housing association tenants and the other way round, anywhere in the UK. Each tenant needs permission from their own landlord.

Swaps between England, Scotland and Wales are possible, but each country has its own rules, so allow extra time. Search homes on the map or browse the place guides to see what an area is like first.

Listing your home and finding a swap on Mutual Home Exchange is free. Landlords do not normally charge for a mutual exchange either.

Never pay or accept money, or anything valuable, to make a swap happen, even as a joke. For council tenants, a payment is a legal ground for the landlord to seek possession of the home, and any landlord can refuse or undo a swap involving one. Read why no money should change hands.

Yes. When there is no direct match, a three-way swap chain can work: you move into the second home, that tenant moves into the third, and the third moves into yours. Mutual Home Exchange looks for these chains automatically and only goes ahead when every household agrees. See how swap chains work.

In England, your landlord must normally give you a written decision within 42 days of receiving your completed application. Scotland and Wales set their own timescales.

If you hear nothing, ask for an update in writing, then use your landlord's complaints procedure. Read what the 42-day wait is like.

Landlords can only refuse for set reasons. For council tenants these are written into law (Schedule 3 of the Housing Act 1985), and housing associations use similar rules. The main ones are:

• a court has made a possession order, or possession proceedings have started, against either tenant;
• the new home would be much too big or too small for the household moving in;
• the home is adapted for a disability, or is sheltered or supported housing, and the incoming household does not need that;
• the home is linked to a job, or let by a charity for people the incoming tenant is not eligible to be.

A refusal must be in writing and give the reason.

Yes. The usual conditions are clearing any rent arrears and putting right damage or changes you made without permission, before the swap goes ahead. Getting these sorted early avoids delays at the end.

Look your landlord up in our landlord directory. Each profile summarises its mutual exchange policy with a link to the full version, alongside regulator grades, what tenants say, its complaints record and typical rents.

Check the other tenant's landlord too, because they must approve the swap as well.

Use your landlord's complaints procedure first and keep copies of everything. If that does not resolve it, tenants of social landlords in England can go to the Housing Ombudsman, which is free. Citizens Advice and Shelter give free independent advice. See our support page for what we can and cannot help with.

In most swaps you take over the other tenant's tenancy as it is, with the same type, rent and terms. When a council tenant swaps with a housing association tenant, the landlords sometimes end both tenancies and grant new ones instead.

Either way, your rights can change. A council secure tenancy and a housing association assured tenancy differ on things like Right to Buy and passing the tenancy on. Ask both landlords to explain your new tenancy before you sign.

Yes, you will pay the rent for the home you move into, set by its landlord. Each listing shows the current rent, and every place guide and landlord profile shows typical weekly social rents by bedroom size, so you can compare before you view.

Yes, but every joint tenant must agree to the swap and sign the paperwork. If a joint tenant has left, talk to your landlord first about putting the tenancy into one name.

With a mutual exchange you generally accept the home as you see it, including its decoration and anything the last tenant fitted or left. Landlords usually inspect both homes first and ask for tenant damage to be put right, and they carry out gas and electrical safety checks.

After you move, your landlord is still responsible for repairs that are theirs by law, such as the structure, heating and hot water. Read what to agree before moving day.

Yes. Adapted homes are valuable, so landlords check the incoming household needs the adaptations. Use the "Disabled adapted" filter when you search, and read our guides to adapted bathrooms, adapted kitchens and accessible gardens.

Create a free account, confirm your email address, then add your home: bedrooms, type, rent, landlord, photos, and what you are looking for. It takes about ten minutes, and your listing goes live straight away.

Your matches are scored on what you both want: size, area, property type, tenancy type and adaptations. Add every area you would move to, or press "I'd move here" on any place guide, and homes there are matched to you first. You are told the moment a new match appears. See the features that find swaps fastest.

Complete listings get far more requests. Add clear photos of every room, an honest description and your landlord's name. Then share it: your dashboard has a ready-written post to send to WhatsApp, Facebook groups and friends. Get your home ready for viewings.

Widen the areas you would accept, consider a like-for-like swap, and say yes to three-way chains, which often unlock homes that have no direct match. If you are downsizing, ask your landlord about incentives. Read the upsizing and downsizing myths.

Yes. Every place guide has an alert: leave your email and choose a distance, and we email you once when a home appears there. Account holders are also notified about new matches, requests and messages.

• damp, mould, heating, windows and the general repair of the home;
• room sizes, with your largest furniture measured;
• parking, the garden and any shared spaces;
• the tenancy type, the rent and who the landlord is;
• the area: transport, schools, shops and what it is like at different times of day.

Our place guides cover the area side. Read why measuring twice matters.

When both landlords approve, everyone signs the paperwork, usually on the same day, and then you swap homes. Take meter readings, and tell the council tax office, energy suppliers and any benefits office your new address. A short handover note for the incoming tenants makes their first day easier. See what to put in a handover note.

Yes, either tenant can pull out at any point before the paperwork is signed. Once it is signed, the new tenancy is yours, so be sure before you sign.

Tell Universal Credit or your council's Housing Benefit team about the move, because your housing costs will be worked out again for the new home. If you are of working age and have more bedrooms than the rules allow, your help with rent is reduced: by 14% for one spare bedroom and 25% for two or more. Moving to a smaller home can end that reduction.

Citizens Advice can check your situation for free.

Many landlords offer help to tenants who move to a smaller home, such as a payment or help with removals. The amounts and rules differ between landlords, so ask yours before you apply.

• keep messages on the site until you are comfortable sharing contact details;
• take someone with you to viewings;
• never send or accept money for a swap;
• check the other tenant's landlord in our landlord directory.

If anything feels wrong, report the listing or user and we will look into it. More on reporting.