Mumsnet Homeswap - the houses are so luxurious!

Yes, pets.

"Home exchangers tend to leave their homes free of pets, making private arrangements for their care elsewhere"

So, that's 2 dogs in kennels, cat in cattery (where he has never been in his life because normally my mum comes and feeds him) and as for the gerbils - what the hell do I do with them? Suddenly this house swap is looking a whole lot more expensive than our usual camping trips luxury holidays!

I need someone, like Sue says, with very low standards indeed, who doesn't mind a cat and a couple of small furries here. Blurry photos and vague descriptions - I could do that. Well, maybe I wouldn't even have to for the hovelswap. Whereas lets face it, for the MN house swap I'd have to lie through my teeth be very creative in my description .

Just had a gander!

Was at someone advertising their house as "architect designed." Aren't all houses designed by an architect? Apart from very old ones.

Pmsl at this!

We have a large 3 bed house with a large garden in London that would be ideal to swap for the Olympics or for anyone just wanting to come to London for a week or two.

However, it is full of stuff cos we live here and bits and pieces of it aren't finished, there is a resident cat and two guinea pigs, the carpet could do with replacing ...

I would far rather swap with the owners of a house like mine than one of these luxury pads!

Can we swap children at the same time?

Definitely mn hovel swap.
I love it.

We need to Be Organised. We need somewhere we can list our hovels homes, with vague descriptions and blurry photos.

Plus extra info on pets and dates and stuff.

I'm sure it's do-able and would be happy to help?

OTheHuge p'raps we should swap...change of Sarf London scenery and all that. Oh yeah - it's all the same.

Christ, I'd forgotten that it was Sjue's bunny that was the spunkbunny.

I rescind my offer of a brown-carpeted Sarf London shoebox with odd-shaped bedroom unless you're willing to throw in a biohazard suit

I have a TK Maxx AND Primark at the end of the road. Bet you're all tempted now hey.

I think the people who own those very plush homes are probably looking for a foreign house swap. I have family friends that do that, they swap their lovely, posh mansion in the UK for a lovely, posh mansion in Australia for 2 weeks.

I don't think they are looking for a swap to Yorkshire or Powys or anywhere like that.

I think MN Hovelswap is a really good idea. It'd be a really cheap way of having a week/weekend away.

Agree Fanny.
We must start our a-bit-crap-but homely-no-fee-because-we're-all-broke house swap thread.

Totally agree, Fanny. At first I was quite excited and then I thought, OK another money grabbing opportunity. . I'm sure a proper mumsnet swap for real mumsnetters with normal houses (admit mine is a bit below normal, but hey, nice location ) could have been done for a much cheaper price.

SuePurblybilt Fri 30-Dec-11 13:51:21
I'd like someone with very low standards, who can be trusted to feed the rabbit and not slag me off on MN afterwards .
Beautiful Devon location. Come marvel at my varied clutter and inability to keep on top of the lawn mowing.

As you know Sue I have offered you a place to stay so you can clean my cupboards. I will happily swap with you should you want a stay in Sarf London. I will not slag you off on MN unless your spunky bunny lives up to his rep and then I will forever and a day

good post fannny - i feel deprived of my winnings. The only competition I ever win and it's useless to me.

I thought this was a great idea until I looked at the houses! I then realised my mid terraced housing estate offering with no central heating, dodgy hot water, and a leaky patio door you can't actually open was not going to pass muster.

Which is a shame because I live right in the South Downs with beautiful views and near to stony beaches. Just that I live in a complete falling apart 1960s hovel with a drug dealer a couple of doors up.

I'd do a hovelswap, though! (watches everyone run for the hills)

Swapping with MNers is one thing, and I was quite attracted to the idea. But that site totally misses the point. Surely the reason you would home swap is you can't afford to rent a holiday house, and you want some where already set up for children.

That site looks like 90% of the houses are professional holiday rentals, not real houses where people actually live. MNHQ, what were you thinking?

this is me

Bracing sea air

I'm going to nominate my house for Hovelswop -

"This charming farmhouse, looking out onto the village meadow, dates from the 15th century, and has many of the traditional features associated with this, such as cracks in most of the walls, an unpleasant smell of mould in the bathroom, freezing drafts and a huge heating bill. The owners have got about a quarter of the way through renovations and given up in despair. Features such as the exposed and crumbling brickwork in the corner of the lounge where the plaster has failed give a stylish touch. Four bedrooms, only one of which is entirely unusable until renovations start again. Would sleep about twenty so long as they don't want to have beds, chairs, washing facilities, etc."

Tethersend, it's much bigger than my abode.

That's gorgeous tethersend - when can we swap?

Ooh i would love to swap my normal home for one of yours.

Grendels mum described my house for me.

"Set amid a wealth of Scottish history, just 10 minutes from a castle, a palace and a country estate, this contemporary family home offers access to both city chic and rural relaxation. A waterfall and river wind through the nearby park, while central Edinburgh with its shops, restaurants and galleries is only 25 minutes away by train"

My real house