Mutual exchange

You can swap your home with another council or housing association tenant in the UK.

This can be a quick and easy way to move to a different property or area. It means you can downsize or upsize or find a home that betters suits your needs.

You will need a secure, fixed term or assured tenancy and:

• be clear of all housing-related debt
• have a home in an acceptable standard to re-let to another tenant quickly
• not be in serious breach of your tenancy conditions
• have not applied for a property through Right to Buy
• not be subject to any court action or a court injunction

You can't exchange if:

• either property has significant adaptations and the other household does not need them
• exchanging would cause overcrowding for either party

You’ll take on the property as seen (including any wear, decoration, alterations and garden condition) and you'll need to cover your own moving and redecoration costs. If repairs are needed, they may be your responsibility.

Find a property

House Exchange is a free service for our tenants. There are other exchange sites and you can join as many as you wish to increase your chances of finding a swap. Some are free and some may charge a small fee.

Once you have received your login details, you can search for:

• the type of property you need in the area you would like
• anyone who is interested in your property
• a match both ways
• a three-way search

Before you agree to move, you should check the condition of the new property as you will need to accept it in its current condition. Once you have found a match, arrange to view each other's properties.

Check the type of tenancy agreement you will be taking on as your rights may be different. Your housing officer can advise you.

Apply

You will need to complete a mutual exchange application if North Northamptonshire Council is one of the landlords. We (and the other landlord) will confirm if the exchange can take place or not, as you can't move without our consent.

Inspection

Your property will be inspected and you must both repair any damage that is your responsibility before the exchange takes place.

This includes a visual electrical inspection - if you have made any changes to the electrics our tradesmen will put these right before the exchange and you will pay for the cost of this work.

We will confirm any work that we won't accept responsibility for (e.g. fitting your own kitchen or shower). You will sign a disclaimer taking responsibility for any identified issues as part of the exchange paperwork -  if you or the other party don't want to take responsibility for any alterations, you can cancel the application.

The property needs to be accepted in its current condition. Any improvements or issues (e.g. overgrown gardens or poor decor) will be your responsibility.

Approval and move

Once approved, your Housing Officer will arrange for all parties to attend an interview to sign the paperwork which transfers your tenancies.

The tenancy on your new home will start the Monday after the papers have been signed - which should also be your move date. Let us our Council Tax and Benefit teams know about the move.

Once you've moved, we will carry out a full electrical and gas check as soon as possible.

Last updated 17 July 2025