Mutual exchanges
What is a mutual exchange?
A mutual exchange is another option you can use to find a new home. As well as bidding for a property, you can also advertise your home to find someone to swap homes with.
Tenants usually do a straight swap, but it’s possible to have several tenants involved in a multi-way swap.
Please note: Everyone involved in the swap will need their landlord’s permission before you can exchange homes.
Am I eligible to swap my home?
There may be reasons why you're not able to swap your home, please click the button below to check if you can...
You can apply to exchange properties if you meet all of the following points:
- You have lived in your home for at least 12 months
- You’re a fixed term tenant, secure tenant or an assured tenant of a Registered Social Landlord or local authority
- Any housing related debt must be paid in full before the date of exchange
Your tenancy agreement will confirm what type of tenant you are. If you’re on a starter tenancy, you can’t exchange properties until you have passed your probationary period. This is usually after 12 months.
You can find more information about your tenancy agreement here.
How do I find someone to swap with?
You can swap with someone you already know, or you can sign up to a home swapping website such as House Exchange to advertise your property.
What happens when I’ve found a swap?
If you’ve found someone to swap with, you'll need to let us know. Have a look at the three stages below to find out what will happen next:
Expression of interest
When you've found someone to swap with, the Midland Heart tenant will need to complete our online form to express their interest in beginning a Mutual exchange.
There are three options on the form:
- Midland Heart to Midland Heart swap- this swap is between Midland Heart tenants (please note: only one applicant needs to complete this form)
- Midland Heart to Another Association- this swap is between a Midland Heart and a different landlord or local authority.
- Multi Way Swap- this is a swap that involves 3 or more households.
Once the form has been submitted, we will contact the person who submitted it within 1 working day to confirm that we have received it.
Exchanging references and assessments
Once both applicants have passed the initial assessment, we will send out application forms. Fill in the exchange application form to give us your details and the details of the tenant you want to swap with.
Once we've received your form, we'll send you an acknowledgement within five days. We'll need to carry out some additional checks before you can move - checks about you, your exchange partner and your homes - and discuss the application with your exchange partner’s landlord (if applicable).
Please note: it can take up to 42 days to complete these checks but we aim to complete them earlier.
The exchange
When everything has been agreed, we will arrange an appointment to sign the paperwork and we'll give you a date when you'll be able to move.
If you would like to find out more about Mutual Exchanges visit our FAQs page.
