How to swap homes | Clarion
Swapping homes through a process called mutual exchange can be a great way to find a home that’s more suitable for you and your family.
Find a bigger home: benefit from extra space if you have more children.
Find a smaller home: find a more manageable home if your kids have moved out.
Move to a new area: get a home nearer your work, or closer to your children’s school.
Get a garden: move to a home with outdoor space if you’ve got a growing family.
Adapt to health changes: find a home with disabled access, or without stairs.
Fixed-term tenancies explained
Learn more about how fixed-term tenancies work.
Unless you already know someone who wants to swap homes, the House Exchange website is the best way to find a new home.
The website has homes available to swap across the UK and from different housing associations – not just Clarion homes. You can search according to the location, size and type of home you want. Registration is free for all Clarion residents.
Step 1: check you’re eligible to swap
Before looking for a new home, you need written permission from us confirming your tenancy allows you to swap homes.
If you have a lifetime tenancy you’ll be able to swap, and it’s usually ok for fixed-term tenants to exchange too – though not during a probationary year. Check your tenancy agreement to confirm your tenancy type.
You won’t be able to swap if you owe rent payments, and you can’t exchange homes with people living in private rented accommodation.
To find out more about swapping homes, please phone our customer service team on 0300 500 8000.
Download: Clarion Mutual Exchange Policy (pdf)
Step 2: register on the House Exchange website
Once you’ve registered on the House Exchange website, we’ll verify your information, activate your account and send you your House Exchange account details. If your registration can’t be verified, we’ll contact you to discuss alternative options.
Register on House Exchange
If you can’t access House Exchange to register, please phone our customer service team on 0300 500 8000.
Step 3: search for a new home
After your account is verified, your home will appear on House Exchange and you can search for a new home. You can also download the free House Exchange smartphone app to make searching even easier.
When you find someone to swap homes with, phone our customer service team on 0300 500 8000 to discuss how to complete your exchange and to get an application form.
We’ll also check the homes are ok to swap (for example, checking they have the right number of bedrooms) and confirm that you’re eligible to exchange homes.
At this point, you should also think about your tenancy type. If you have a lifetime tenancy and the person you’re swapping with has a fixed-term tenancy, it’s not always possible for you both to keep your tenancy type. So, you need to think about whether you’re prepared to swap for a fixed-term tenancy.
If you’re happy to proceed, you and the person you’re swapping with will then need to complete your application forms and supply any necessary supporting information.
Step 5: finalise your move
We’ll assess the applications and arrange to inspect the condition of your home. If your exchange partner isn’t a Clarion resident, we’ll ask their landlord for a reference and supply them with a reference for you.
You should get a decision on the exchange within 42 days of submitting your application.
If your application is approved, we’ll agree a convenient moving date for you and your exchange partner.
Some exchanges do get rejected, mostly because of:
a home having the wrong number of bedrooms
home adaptations for a disabled person that won’t be used
tenancy breaches.
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