Mutual exchanges and homeswaps

A mutual exchange, also known as a home swap, provides South Ayrshire Council tenants with the opportunity to swap their home with another council or housing association tenant anywhere in the U.K.

Some tenants may wish to move to accommodation that is smaller than the home they currently live in or may need an additional bedroom because their household has increased.

Other tenants might want to live in a different town or neighbourhood to be closer to their family, friends, and support networks.

A mutual exchange may give tenants an alternative means of moving to more suitable accommodation, in addition to the Council's transfer list.

Ways to find a match

HomeSwapper is the UK's largest database of people looking to swap homes. South Ayrshire Council have subscribed to HomeSwapper, to allow South Ayrshire Council tenants to create an account for free and find a suitable match for a mutual exchange.

You can access HomeSwapper via your mobile, tablet or pc. Apps are available to download for both iOS and Android users.

Further information on how Home Swapper will use your personal data can be found here, if you decide to use this service: Privacy Policy - HomeSwapper

• View our mutual exchange leaflet
•  

You can also contact our Housing Options Team if you would prefer not to use the Home Swapper Platform.  Please contact us at: 0300 123 0900 or email: HousingOptionsTeam@south-ayrshire.gov.uk

For those who choose not to sign up with HomeSwapper, there are other ways of finding a mutual exchange including:

• Word of mouth - this could be through friends/family/support networks
• Housing and tenant events - look out for our Housing Services stall
• Social media channels i.e.: Facebook

Online access

If you do not have access to the internet our local Libraries offer the use of computers and the internet through their library card scheme. Membership is free to anyone of any age who lives, works or studies within South Ayrshire.

For more information pop into your local library or call the main help desk at Carnegie Library on 01292 286385. https://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/libraries

Important Note

Sometimes we refuse permission for our tenants to complete a mutual exchange, usually because:

• there is tenancy related debt i.e.: outstanding rent arrears, former tenant arrears, court expenses or rechargeable repairs
• the property/garden is in an unsatisfactory condition
• the tenant or a member of the household is subject to an investigation of anti-social behaviour.

Our Housing Options Team can provide advice and guidance to ensure the best chance of an exchange for you. We would encourage you to contact us to discuss this in more detail.