Swapping your home

You can swap your rented home with someone else who has a home with us, a home with another housing association or a home with a local council. This is called a mutual exchange.

How to find a swap partner

You can register with one of the following services to swap your home. 

  • House exchange (free to LiveWest customers) 1.4 million social housing customers use this website free of charge through a network of partner landlords. There are in the region of 1,200 swaps a month nationwide found through House Exchange and we have over 60,000 people actively looking for a home on the website.  
  • UK home swap - you will have to pay to register.  
  • Homeswapper - you will have to pay to register.  

You’ve found a home to swap so what now?

When you have found someone to swap with, please complete our online form to request a mutual exchange application pack. Our application packs are sent by email, but if you need one printing and posting please contact the LiveWest Lettings team on 01392 814550.

Before applying please remember:

  • You need to be on a qualifying tenancy type.
  • Don’t move before you’ve been given permission, we have 42 days to make this decision, and before the paperwork’s been signed by everyone involved.
  • You will need to arrange and pay for the move yourself once we’ve given permission.
  • If the home you move into is in a poor condition, you’ll be responsible for damage caused by the previous person.

We’ll need to have a look around your home and meet with you and the person you want to swap with. We will confirm in writing whether the swap can go ahead. This can take up to six weeks while we cover everything with the other landlord and parties involved. 

There are times when you won’t be able to swap, such as:

  • You have a starter tenancy.
  • The home you want to move into is too small or too big for your personal circumstances.
  • You have rent arrears or other debts payable to LiveWest.
  • You or the person you are swapping with has not kept to the terms of the tenancy agreement.

Before you contact us to make your application, ensure that you have read all the information in this advice leaflet and that you understand the reasons why we may refuse your application, as well as what is required of you before you move.

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