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House swaps

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So many costs in order to do house swap. Is this right?

2 replies

Mumof3smallppl · 24/01/2025 22:55

So I'm looking to do a house swap with a girl I know well we've both seen each other's flats a d more than happy. Both our housing associations have given us an informal go ahead. We're going to get paperwork etc on Monday to get the ball rolling. However when I signed my tenancy for this place my housing officer completed forms with me in office for my housing benefit etc a few weeks later I got call from housing benefit informing me a full section of the form was incomplete and my claim couldn't go ahead so I now had full months rent arrears. The lady on phone could see it wasn't down to me and that the form had indeed been done by housing officer I was able over phone to complete missing section. I've now been told I have to pay this £500 odd in order to do this swap also I've to pay for new locks to be put on the door and I've to pay for a gas engineer and an electrician to come visit property and check its all safe. I've no idea how I'll do all this it's going to be may e around £1000 before the actual move itself. The girl I'm swapping with (different housing association) hasn't been told she has to pay for new locks or for gas/electric to be checked. Has anyone else been in this position? I'm wondering how much they will want for new lock and the safety checks. Also if anyone thinks it would be worth my while fighting out the months rent arrears? Thanks for reading

OP posts:
KitMg · 24/01/2025 22:58

I did a swap 18 months ago and haven't had to pay anything. I wasn't in arrears so can't help with that bit, but I would definitely complain about having to pay as it wasn't your mistake!

Why on earth would you have to pay for a gas and electric engineer? Or the locks? I've never heard of this.

All that happened with me but I didn't pay!

Cazs818 · 24/01/2025 23:13

I Completed a mutual exchange back in august , landlords pay the cost of safety checks gas / electric / energy efficiency surveys etc , and any outstanding repairs

if there’s any rent arrears these need to be cleared before the forms are submitted , once’s forms are sent of the landlords have 42 days so agree or disagree to the swap , once’s agreed you typically have 7 days to exchange

my move was a little move complex , different landlords and from London to Newcastle took a bit longer than 42 days , exchanging new tenancy’s was again more complex due to the distance both had to be done in person

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