Mutual Exchange Scheme

Do you 

• want to find a more suitable home?
• need a smaller or larger home?
• want to move to a new area?

If you are a secure or assured tenant you may be able to swap your home with another tenant who lives in a Council or Housing Association property. This may increase your chances of moving and is also a good scheme for people who may not be given high priority on the register as a transfer but who still want to move.

Before you can swap your property you must get the permission of your landlord. They can refuse permission in certain circumstances. The main ones are:

• An eviction notice has been served.
• Either of the homes are too large or small for the households who are involved in the swap.
• The home has been built or adapted for people with disabilities or is part of a group of special needs accommodation (such as sheltered housing) and the swap would result in the home being occupied by someone without those needs.

We will also expect your rent account to be clear and that any outstanding repairs are reported to your landlord or carried out by yourself if they are your responsibility.

How do I apply?

You need to complete a Mutual Exchange application form and return it to your own landlord.

Please see the ORAH contacts page for details, or use the contact details to the right on this page if you are an Oxford City Council tenant. 

Your landlord will send the application form to the Housing Needs team at Oxford City Council who will put your details on the Mutual Exchange Register.

If your landlord is not an ORAH partner please return the form to the Housing Needs team at Oxford City Council. You will be sent a letter confirming that you are on the register and with any possible 'matches' for properties you may be interested in.

Choice Based Lettings Exchange Scheme

You must also add your exchange property to the Choice Based Lettings Homechoice website.

How do I find someone to swap with?

We keep a register of those wanting to mutually exchange at our reception areas. 

This register is updated every month. You can request a list of possible matches from the Housing Needs Team at any time. See contact details to the right on this page.

This is primarily a self help scheme and you should also take steps to advertise your property yourself through adverts in local post offices and newsagents and in the local paper.

A number of property details can be viewed online by downloading the document below. The applications are organised into 6 areas based on former housing offices Barton, Blackbird Leys, Carfax, Northway and Wood Farm rather than grouping the same bedroom properties together. 

We will publish the register in the above format until you will be able to view properties online via our Choice Based Lettings website (please see link above). Please note you can always ask us for a matching report or copies of adverts.

What happens if I find someone to swap with?

When you have found an address you think may be suitable you must contact the tenant yourself and discuss the exchange.

You must make sure you view the property as no repairs (other than those which are the landlords responsibility) will be carried out.

When you exchange you take on the same tenancy as the tenant you exchange with (called a deed of assignment). This means that you take on the rights and limitations that go with that tenancy.

Please contact your landlord for advice if you have found a possible exchange.

Once you are satisfied you should inform your landlord and make sure the other person does the same. Your landlords will then tell you if they can approve the exchange and complete the paperwork. It is very important you do not move until this is done.

Oxford City Council will not sanction any mutual exchange where payment between the tenants exchanging happens and we may take legal action.

National Schemes

There are national schemes for exchanges between tenants across the country. One such scheme is Homeswapper.

If you are interested in this scheme you can register online on the HomeSwapper website. Please note that you will have to pay a fee to join this scheme.

How do I find out more information?

Contact the Housing Needs Team using the contact details on the right of this page. 

Page last reviewed 25 Nov 2008