Social housing swaps

[MissUnclutter]

I'm on homeswapper

But it's a struggle! Anyone any tips or even managed a successful swap?

I need to downsize but need to stay in roughly same area

It's late! I obvs mean a 'mutual exchange'

We're attempting the same at the moment and it seems futile. So many 'serious swappers' who can't answer a message or if you present them with exactly what they have said they are looking for they don't want it because the garden isn't big enough or the second bedroom doesn't fit a super king size bed.

I haven't even got that far!

There must be an easier way!

If you're downsizing, have you tried your landlord? Some offer incentives to downsize. Lot's of people want an extra bedroom so I'm surprised you don't have a lot of offers!

I've exchanged quite a few times over the years. There is a lot of disappointment and a lot of people who don't seem that serious about moving. There's a lot of luck involved and you just have to persevere.

Would definitely think your landlord can assist here - people needing to upsize are usually far in excess of those wanting to downsize, unless you’re in a dreadful area they’ll likely have an internal list of people looking for transfers who’d bite your hand off.

I feel for you. I recently had a young woman knocking my door looking desperate, asking for a swap. I had to tell her sadly we were private. I pointed her to the others on the street that were council. She must have exhausted every angle to be door stepping people. She wanted a bigger house. I wished her luck. It's hard round here as nobody wants to move, even if there's only one person in a 4 bed.
They are building some new social housing, but they're rarely more than 3 bed at best.
I'm sorry that's not much help but wishing you luck x

I've been on it for years. But I live in a third floor flat with no lift and no garden, so nobody wants to swap with me 🤣 what is your place like? How's the area?

Personally I think a lot of people who use homeswapper just want to have a neb at people's houses.

You're better off putting notices up in shops and getting word of mouth going if you want to stay local.

And there will be a Facebook page for your area. Ours has one and it can be useful.

Lovely area, new build estate

I'm in a similar 5 bed looking for 3/4 BUT all the newish builds are £200 more than what I'm currently paying....so more expensive for a 3 bed than my 5 which is ridiculous

Thankyou, I will have a look now

There are so many FB groups and the majority of people want bigger properties

I swap once but was pure luck. I posted my flat in one of the FB groups and someone got interested. Although it was not exactly what she wanted, upon learning the full address she realised that was pretty much next door to her friend’s mother…she had heard from her friend that she would love to live close to her mother, so she put us in touch. The friend was not even thinking about swapping at all but when she saw the opportunity she jumped at it and we exchanged a couple of months after.

Now I’m trying to swap again but I’m in the process of redecorating too, so if I don’t manage, at least the place will look nice for me. So I’m constantly in the groups connecting with people, we never know where a lead might come from.

The council did a tenancy check the other day and asked me if I wanted to downsize. Mind you I have a 2 bedroom and live with my teen DD so I’m not under occupying but when I said no, the officer made me feel like I was a greedy bastard.

Your council or HA may be able to help you find something smaller

Rents in HA / Council properties are a percentage of the full price at the time of build, so older will be cheaper, but newer often come with their own issues and seem to be not as desirable in many areas. Unfortunately many newer builds are hundreds above older in terms of rent. Where the need is for downsizing, there is little point in swapping if it costs more and sadly newer often comes with less garden / parking / garage, as specs have very much reduced in newer builds. Also flats are very difficult to swap, if not impossible and if you have an affordable rent property, these are never as popular as social rent. Shop windows can be a good place to advertise, facebook and even asking friends and neighbours, as sometimes those living close, but in a too large property, want the same street etc., and not to up sticks and lose their community. I'd also be asking honest questions about neighbours if the swap seems too good to be true. You can tell I work in housing!

I've joined a fb group and everyone seems to want 2/3 beds

Nobody seems eligible for a 5 bed. And it's a big 5 bed, prob quite specialised in that it would fit a massive family. You can fit a double bed in the smallest room

I will ring the HA on Monday as they may need a home for someone with 6+ kids