So if someone DID want to swap houses for a few days for a cheap holiday...

[WilfSell]

...and if someone hypothetical who looked a lot like me and sounded a lot like me and who lived where I live said they wanted a house swap, would anyone actually be interested?

I don't want to give too much personal info out but I live right on the border of Staffordshire, Shropshire and South Cheshire.

What would you need to see on offer to tempt you into a houseswap in the Heart of England?

Okay well email me, I'm quite happy to do Autumn time etc when the theme parks are quieter etc. Have you got merlin passes, like I say we are an easy daytrip to Chessington (have sea life centre there), Thorpe, Legoland, London Eye, Madame Tussauds etc etc

But there are mega cheap Easyjet flights all the time! Plus Italian trains are dirt cheap so you could flit all over the place for a tenth of what you spend in the UK.

Not sure about 5, it would be a bit of a squeeze. I have got a huge bathtub though. Pussies might find it a bit wearing though.....

Brangelina we couldn't come, dh may catnap - we lost our beloved cat a few weeks ago and dh is really missing him.

cargirl will cut and paste your email for future ref...

sorry about your cat. One of mine is getting on a bit too

he was knocked down he was a complete lap cat, adored people big or small all attention was good to him

Would love to get into this house swapping lark but have yet to convince dp...he's abit about it all.

Going to keep this thread for future ref if that's all right. I'm in a 3 bed house (1 with cot) in the 'burbs of Glasgow (West) very near to buses and trains. Local big supermarket 10 mins away. Tons to see and do for the kids in Glasgow and can get trains through to Edin, Perth etc.

Oh and I have 2 cats too who would need fed and watered

Really fancy Legoland with my 2 but by the time you price up flights and hotel/car hire its just not worth it.

hey, it can be an open thread and we can be vaguely interested until someone says they deffo want to swap and then just do it.

Moondog posted on my other thread on this that she swapped successfully with someone on MN. Apparently CD (countess dracula?) was trying to get something going too.

Tis a good idea I think.

...and of course Milan would suffice

I'm just outside Brussels - not that exciting I know - bit loads for kids to do. I would certainly consider Shropshire/South Staffs as sister is near there and it is alwaus good to be close but not too close...I have dead posh new rental house...

Oh no, I loved Brussels when went years ago. Not sure about the travel with 3 though but in future maybe.

I am north staffs though but not too far down the A49 to Shropshire or A34/M6 to South Staffs

Oh and justabout, Yorkshire good too: can you be more specific?

If anyone would like to do a London/Manchester swap for a few days/long weekend this summer, let me know!

We've got a lovely house, big garden in Stockport and would love a weekend in London sometime.

We've got 1 x double bed and 1 x bedroom with single bed and cabin bed in plus a box room with no room for a bed at the moment as it's pretending to be a library...!

brangelina i do hope you are joking as if not i think you may be swapped with lovely mumsnetters including myself who would love to go!!!
always wanted to go to milan. have 2 cats and 2 ferrets so love animals. if you are serious for the future let me know.

would love to do a house swap, however, as nice as my little town is. it isnt the sort of place you would want to come on holiday. no beach, lakes, theme parks etc under an hour.

have CAT'd you justabout but not sure how long it takes to get through...

you can mail me at wilfsell at gmail dot com

as can anyone else who is seriously interested in swapping with me though bear in mind I haven't actually decided whether we can/will yet...

There was a houseswap thread or topic last year, I was arranging a house swap with someone near London on it (we're in Devon). Til I realised that our main bathroom and stairs were going to be knocked out and rebuilt during the month we were planning it for.

And then I got cold feet, read too many of those good housekeeping threads and I think it would just take us too long to get the house presentable to Mumsnet Good Housekeeping standards. I think we'd have to spend a week cleaning in preparation.

Hey Fennel, I believe you and I are in the same business. If you fancied Staffordshire (might be a bit of a busman's holiday for you though given exactly where we live (!) you'd probably understand the piles of books, papers and general clutter in our house

Obv I'd clean up for anyone...

would love to do a houseswap but

a) no-one really want to go on holiday to Northamptonshire do they

b) my house just isn't really up to letting someone else stay there (most of it needs redecorating, the carpets need cleaning, I'd never getting it looking good enough for guests)

Honestly you lot, register with Homelink and keep sending emails to people: some expect to exchange 2 up-2 down for 10 bed villa with pool and maid but once they start being offered Heart of England or Northants rural idyll for a bank holiday, they may just do it.

Don't be unrealistic but equally ask people to consider exchanging for long weekends within UK

Yeah I might do that anyway and then direct any interested MNers there (I think you have to pay though - I suppose it would sort us goats from sheep and all...)

Obv only once I've finished making my sitting room curtains (silk, I might add ) and clearing red plastic from back garden to photograph in Best Possible Light...

lol Wilfsell, I think I can work out where you live now. I have stayed there a few times with work.

but we only recently moved to Devon after many years in Manchester so we don't need to go and stay in that direction really.

I do think that we'd be quite into houseswapping some time though with someone, we do live in a very holidayish place so it make sense. If we can get the house up to the right standard. Which is debateable.

Lancashire anyone?

3 double bed detached with gardens and fields to the rear which lead to the sea (pebble and sand baeches within footpath walking distance)
golf club 8min walk away
historic city 5 miles away
fab playparks within walking
highchair, tiny table and chairs, bunk beds, cot, kingsize bed, open fires, bigger than normal double ended whirlpool bath , good sized enclosed garden with swings ,playthings and trampoline, grubby carpets (beige and fields do not mix) and some clutter

Looking for London or Scotland if this thread gets going...

Amyjo, no not joking, I've been toying with the idea for a while now. It's just a question of building up the courage to take the plunge.

Trouble is my place is a 2 bed flat, so no garden, although I have 2 small balconies (but not big enough to sit out on).

However, I have all mod cons, washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, cot, high chair, fans and AC, excessive heating in the winter. Proximity to train station and only 15mins by train to central Milan, 1 hour by car to lakes, mountains, ski slopes and Switzerland.

That Lancashire one sounds quite nice