by Start with people you know
If you’re not sure about home swapping but want to dip your toe in the water, swap with people you’re related to, rather than strangers.
Naomi Kendall, an artist based in Somerset, has undertaken a number of home swaps. She says: “You can’t be too precious about your home, but at the same time, you need to be comfortable with the people you hang out with, so you don’t worry all the time . You need to think about your neighbors a bit, too. We only exchanged with people we knew, or people who were friends of friends.”
Related: How to book a luxury break for less
Get the right platform
If you’re ready to move in with strangers, platforms such as HomeExchange, HomeLink and Home Base Holidays (which also run Guardian’s own website, Guardian Home Exchange) allow you to list your property, browse places you want to stay, and contact the owners to see if they would be interested in exchanging with you. These are charged an annual fee: at the time of writing, Home Base Holidays are £49 a year, HomeLink £120 and HomeExchange £180. In most cases, no other money will change hands.
These platforms offer direct exchanges with other home owners. You contact each other, and if they want to exchange with you, you discuss all the details and make a plan that suits everyone.
The switch doesn’t have to be simultaneous – maybe you’re going somewhere in August, and the other family comes to stay at your house, then while that family is away in another destination in October, you go to stay in their empty house.
In addition to two-party exchanges, HomeExchange has a “GuestPoints” system where you can let people stay in your home when you’re away, in exchange for some GuestPoints, and then use those points as credit for staying inside. another house on another date.
Trust in your home
A few platforms – for example, the US-based Kindred site – operate an application system, where they check that your home meets its basic requirements – for example, WiFi, workspace and “tasteful” decor. However, on many platforms, you simply tick the boxes to display your facilities, and the process becomes self-regulating, and people choose exchanges that meet their needs.
Many people worry that they will stay somewhere incredible and their guests will, in turn, be underwhelmed. Your home doesn’t have to be perfect, but be honest in your description. When creating your listing, clear out the clutter and make the photos look as attractive as possible, but include images of the avocado bathroom you plan to update, so there are no surprises.
For most platforms you don’t need to own your home, but, says Mark Sealey, chief executive of Home Base Holidays: “Members renting out their homes must get agreement from their landlord or letting agency before They list the property for a home exchange. .”
Sell your area
It’s not just about the house – people need a base to explore.
Even if you don’t live in a tourist center, mention any places of interest that are within an hour or so’s drive – cities, national parks, beaches, attractions, anything that might pique people’s curiosity – and include photos.
Tell your insurer
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) recommends that you speak to your home insurer to see if swapping would affect your cover. “Your insurer will also be able to advise on the exclusions your policy may contain for loss or damage caused by guests,” says an ABI spokesperson.
Pikl, an insurer specializing in cover for the “sharing economy”, is among the companies offering a top-up host policy suitable for home exchange or letting like Airbnb if your existing policy is not sufficient. Ad hoc cover is available from £2 per day, and cover for up to 30 days a year is £39.99. It covers fire damage caused by guests, accidental or malicious damage, as well as public liability of up to £2m in the event guests are injured as a result of a home exchange. You need permission to swap from your primary insurer for the top-up policy to be valid.
Some people exchange cars as well as houses. Check whether your motor insurance provider will allow this – if they do, you may need to provide the driver with license details and pay extra. Your exchange partner should do the same for you. Sealey says some Home Base Holidays members have split the cost of car hire in cases where insurance policies are too restrictive for one party to borrow a car.
Expect charming imperfections
One person’s “clean and tidy” is “how do they live like this?”
“The vast majority of swaps are year-round homes, so they’re not always going to be perfect,” says Sealey. “From time to time issues arise because people do not have the same approach to household matters. If your home is spotless and you want the place you stay in to be the same, ask questions to find out how your potential swap goes towards cleaning.”
Be flexible
“If you need to be in Madrid on a certain date in April for a wedding, it can be difficult to find a suitable exchange,” says Caroline Connolly, country manager of HomeLink UK. “But if you can say ‘we want to go to Spain in the summer’, you’re more likely to find something that works for you.”
When you sign up, you can specify destinations or leave them open – some say being open-minded about locations can lead to more interesting exchanges. Connolly’s first ever swap was a house in Saint John in New Brunswick, Canada – a place she would have had trouble finding on a map at the time. “It turned out to be incredible,” she says.
Take your time and ask questions
“The first contact you have with members is to really feel things,” says Sealey. “Give yourself plenty of time to find the right place and build trust in each other.”
Ask lots of questions – and be prepared to answer them – and check the address on Google Maps to see if there’s anything that might be a problem for you, such as road noise or the busy nightlife of the city center if you are a light sleeper.
Phillippa Rose from London and her family have changed houses several times using HomeExchange, staying in houses in the UK, France and Spain. Rose suggests meeting online before the swap: “I love a live video call, just to get to know the people you’re swapping with, and you can have a virtual show as well.”
Leave a small welcome pack with information about your home and the area, and consider recording videos to help with any confusion – for example, if you happen to open the washing machine door. “The owners in France recorded a video showing how to change the pool filter – it’s much easier to see how things work on video,” says Rose.
Store your things and keep things clean
Before the swap, spring clean, clear the clutter, and maybe put away anything that’s particularly breakable or valuable, or your child’s prized Lego creation. Store things in the attic if you have one, or take a box visit to a friend or family member’s house.
“We have members who do longer-term swaps, say for three months, in which case they could rent storage units,” says Sealey.
“We lock certain things in cupboards, and we make sure to empty a few drawers in the bedrooms for guests to use,” says Rose. Instead of emptying a wardrobe containing the family’s clothes, they provide independent clothes rails.
Aside from one broken light bulb, she says she’s never had any problems with guests.
If you’re unlucky, your house will be well looked after, says Sealey: “Most experienced house movers like to leave the house in as good, or better, condition than it was. they found it. There’s a sense of respect here: this is someone’s home and they’ve welcomed you into it, so you should take care of it.”
