Property Pool Plus

What is a mutual exchange?

A Mutual Exchange is when two or more Council or Housing Association tenants agree to exchange (swap) their homes.

You can exchange your property with another Council or Housing Association tenant anywhere in the country; perhaps to be closer to family or friends, or nearer work, you are not restricted to the area you currently live in. When you exchange your existing tenancy will come to an end and a new one will begin.

Mutual Exchange can be a quicker way to move especially if you only qualify for a lower priority band.

 

Will I need permission before a Mutual Exchange can take place?

Yes.

 

You must get permission from your landlord before you move. 

You will not be refused permission without good reason but if you exchange without permission you may:

• Be forced to move back to your original property
• Lose your entitlement to Housing Benefit 

 

How quickly will a decision be made?

By law you must be informed of the decision within six weeks.

 

Am I eligible for a Mutual Exchange?

If you are a permanent tenant (not a starter tenant) and you meet the criteria stipulated in your landlord’s exchange policy, then you may be eligible for an exchange. 

You landlord will visit your property to inspect it before permission is given. Any repairs that you must carry out will be identified and must be completed by you before permission to exchange is given.

Your landlord will check your rent account to make sure that payments are up to date. If you are behind on your rent your exchange will usually be delayed until you have paid any rent that you owe.

 

How do I apply?

There are various routes to apply for Mutual Exchange including via your PPP account.  Please check the information for your Local Authority area below for further information.   You may also want to contact your landlord for information on systems they recommend.

 

Applying for Mutual Exchange via Property Pool Plus

To complete a Mutual Exchange application via PPP you must have an active Housing Application.  You should log into your account and then select to apply for mutual exchange.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once your advert has been approved it will appear on the website. Any interested parties will make contact with you direct to discuss the possibility of an exchange.  You should regularly check new Mutual Exchange adverts placed to see if there are any properties advertised which meet your requirements and if so make contact with the advertiser.   

You will need to renew your Mutual Exchange advert every 12 months in order for it to contnue to be advertised.

 

Local Authority Specific Information

Halton

In Halton mutual exchange is managed via Property Pool Plus. However Halton Housing Trust tenants can also access mutual exchange via https://www.homeswapper.co.uk/.

 

Knowsley

In Knowsley mutual exchange can be managed via Property Pool Plus, where you can adverise your home for exchange.

Also existing tenants of Knowsley Housing Trust, Plus Dane and Muir Housing can access mutual exchanges via https://www.homeswapper.co.uk/

 

Liverpool

In Liverpool mutual exchange is managed via Property Pool Plus, Swap and move https://www.swapandmove.co.uk/  and Home Swapper https://www.homeswapper.co.uk/ . You will need to contact your landlord for further information.

 

Sefton

In Sefton mutual exchange is managed via Property Pool Plus. However One Vision Housing tenants can also access mutual exchange via https://www.homeswapper.co.uk/.

 

Wirral 

In Wirral, Mutual Exchange is managed via Property Pool Plus.  Wirral Council will contact your landlord on your behalf to check that they are in agreement for your property to be listed for Mutual Exchange.