I applied for a mutual exchange just over 3 weeks ago and was told that it takes up to 42 days to go through. After 3 weeks, I hadn't heard anything so I phoned the exchange officer dealing with my application. After 2 days worth of phone calls, they now tell me they have lost my whole file so to them there is no record of me or my flat (!) After I made a few more phonecalls, I have located my file with their legal sector so they are now closing my application because they can't complete within 42 days. When they receive the file back, I can then re-apply so they can complete it within 42 days. Surely this is not acceptable? Why did they leave it 3 weeks before realising my file was missing and why leave it to me to find it? I have made a complaint to the director of the council and also the manager of the exchange officer. My exchange partner wants to move ASAP and I really think we are going to loose out on this one.